


Miranda in the Garden of Good and Evil

by grrriliketigers



Category: The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-08
Updated: 2013-04-08
Packaged: 2017-12-07 22:36:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 44,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/753865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grrriliketigers/pseuds/grrriliketigers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fantasy. Miranda Priestly, the Ice Queen, the Dragon Lady, is a force to be reckoned with, an indelible force of nature, a mythical halfbreed. Miranda must protect Andy at all costs and deflect those who wish to do her harm.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted in 2009

Miranda carefully removed the blue contacts and set them in their holder. Her eyes shone golden in the dim light. She blinked a few times as they changed to an eerily light green. She smiled. She had her mother's eyes.

Miranda was the product of an unapproved union of an angel and a genie. Their coupling was particularly surprising because a genie is a djinn, a powerful creature who is inherently evil, and an angel, messenger of God and protector of goodness. 

Miranda's birth had not escaped the watchful gaze of God and he approved the casting of a cloaking spell over Miranda so that she may have a normal childhood. When Miranda, then Miriam, adopted by Scott and Evelyn Princhek of Cornwall, turned 18 her mother was allowed to visit her and explain to her her parentage. Miranda, of course, loved her adoptive parents, but was thrilled to learn of her heritage, having always felt different.

By embracing her celestial birthright she was then stripped of the cloaking spell, being charged with keeping her own secret. She had no angel wings, which helped, but she did have the ever changing eyes, passed through her mother. Humans often say that eyes are the window to the soul, but for Miranda it had a whole other meaning. Her eyes changed with her mood and just as erratically. 

She had the sparkling charm of a djinn and all the magical capability, which she used often in her youth. In the more recent years she used only her stare and her sharp facial features to reduce people to tears. It was intoxicating.

Before the invention of color contacts her eyes were typically hidden with dark glasses which she wore always, claiming severe photo sensitivity. Which was rather ironic because after so long wearing the glasses it took her a week before she could bear to fully open her eyes to the sun. 

In the year 2007 Miranda was 139 years young. Since her birth she'd had three identities. The first, Miriam Evelyn Princhek from Cornwall England who made a small fortune as the directrice of a modest theatre and an amazing brothel in London. Next she was Carlotta Maria Du Ciel from Bordeaux, she fell back on what she knew and began a brothel in Paris, until she met Coco Chanel in a lift in the Ritz. Turning on her charm and using a bit of magical intervention she befriended her. She was enthralled by the way Coco commanded attention and respect and was enraptured by the art that was her couture. She could take any person, a blank canvas, and make them glitter with regalness. Miranda knew then that she was going to be a bigger name in fashion that Coco Chanel. She needed a new identity, of course, so finally, she was Miranda Victoria Priestly. 

The twins were the only children she'd ever had. Her pregnancy was an enormous surprise, she had thought that she was incapable of conceiving, being a half-breed, somewhat akin a mule, and her mother, who visited her on occasion, had never mentioned anything. She had not seen her mother since before the conception and she had been anxiously awaiting her return. The twins didn't seem to exhibit any abnormalities, but were they immortal like she was? Was there a test? Apparently only time would tell. She wondered if there was a good time to tell them that they weren't entirely human.

Miranda blinked her eyes again, it was good to be without her contacts, her eyes felt free. She felt like herself. And, feeling very much like herself, she decided to nip down to the kitchen and fix herself a cup of tea. 

Andy had dropped off the book 15 minutes before with no issue. She settled back into the town car, Roy driving through the streets leisurely. She leaned back against the seat and crossed her legs. When she did she kicked the package that she was supposed to have left at the townhouse for the twins. "Shit!"

"Ms. Sachs?" Roy questioned from the front seat.

"Roy, I'm really sorry." Andy prefaced, leaning forward. "Could you go back to Miranda's? I forgot to drop off the girls' package. I'm sorry."

"Not a problem, Ms. Sachs, we're not that far away." He turned down a side street and set about turning around. 

Miranda walked back in the direction of the stairs, sipping her tea delicately from a teacup she had kept from her days as Miriam Princhek. She noticed The Book on the table and indulged in a little smile. She ran her hand over it and flipped open the cover. 

Her Bible, Her kingdom. Runway.

Her relaxed and tranquil green eyes took in the first page, her eagle eye instantly picking up three errors. 

Andy hurried up the front steps, hoping to be able to leave the package before Miranda noticed it wasn't there. She stuck her key in the lock and turned it, throwing open the door, shifting the package in her arms and looking up. 

She locked eyes instantly with Miranda. Who was... glowing? Almost sparkling, Twilight-style, but not quite.

Miranda's eyes faded from a bright green to a deep pink, almost red. Andy's eyes widened, she dropped the package and took a step backwards. 

Miranda put up her hand and the door slammed shut. 

Andy whipped around and stared at the door.

"Stop." Miranda commanded.

Andy halted but not of her own accord. Suddenly, she couldn't move her feet or legs. Her heart pounded in her chest and her chest heaved. 

"And-rea..." Miranda drawled, stepping closer. She leaned towards her scared second assistant and whispered in her ear, "it seems we have a problem."

A door opened upstairs, "mom?" A small voice called down.

"Go back to bed, bobsey." Miranda called.

"Did the front door slam?"

"I did that, Cassie, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." Miranda soothed, "Go back to bed." 

Despite being scared out of her mind, Andy found Miranda's voice to be melodic. With every fiber of her being she wanted to run. 

Miranda reached around Andy and gently cupped her chin. "M-m-m-mir-miranda, I don't know anything, I didn't see anything."

"We both know that isn't true," Miranda breathed, her hot breath tickling Andy's neck.

"Are you going to kill me?" Andy's voice shook. 

Miranda grinned, her lips against Andy's temple. The answer was, of course, no. She had no intention of killing her. She had never killed anyone. She didn't intend to start now. That didn't mean that she didn't intend to have a little fun first. "That depends entirely on you."


	2. Chapter 2

Andy was frozen in fear and glued to the spot by Miranda's touch -- and Miranda's will. The situation in which she found herself gave rise to new meaning of Miranda's ability to stop someone with only a glare.

Miranda's fingers slid down over Andy's throat. Andy gulped. Miranda's lips were on her cheek. "Andrea, what are we going to do with you."

"I won't say anything. I swear." Andy whimpered. "Please, Miranda, have mercy."

"Andrea, turn around." Miranda whispered, removing all contact from Andy.

Andy was unsure of her own feet but as she started to turn she found that her feet were released from whatever bound her before. She turned and stood face to face, toe to toe with Miranda.

Miranda's eyes had deepened to a dark purple and slowly transitioning fading to black. Miranda reached forward and cupped her chin again and leaned in and pressed her lips to Andy's. 

The kiss was like enlightenment. Andy's eyes shot open, enraptured by what Miranda was sharing through the contact. Andy reached towards Miranda but fell short. 

When Miranda pulled back from the kiss, tears flowed freely from Andy's eyes and she fell to her knees. An understanding of everything pulsed through her, her chest heaving with sobs and she reached up towards the woman, the whatever, that stood before her. 

Miranda gently put her hand over Andy's eyes and spoke in a soothing voice, "Andrea, you will stand up and walk out the door, you will say 'thank you' to Roy and when he pulls up to your curb you will say 'see you tomorrow.' Then you will go to your apartment, go inside and go to sleep. In the morning you will have absolutely no memory of the last 48 hours. It will all be a complete blank to you." 

Andy was quiet underneath Miranda's hand. Miranda took a step back and Andy stood up. She blinked a few times at Miranda walked to the door. She glanced back at Miranda over her shoulder and went out the door. 

Miranda mounted the stairs then, with the book under her arm, she touched the girls doors as she passed, ensuring their good dreams. 

Miranda opened the door to her study and had to shield her eyes from the bright light that was emitted from within. She stepped in and shut the door behind her. The light dimmed a little and Miranda smiled. 

"My lady," Miranda set the book down on the desk and gave a head nod to the celestial being that had born her. "It's been nearly a score since you've graced me with your presence." 

"Alas, my child, my duties have kept me." The Angel apologized, stepping forward and kissing Miranda's forehead, "Miranda, it is Miranda that you go by these days?"

"Aye, ma'am." 

"Miranda, I fear that it is business that calls me here to you and not my love, however enduring and limitless."

"My lady, permit me first," Miranda asked, "I have a few questions that desperately need your answer."

"Pray, continue." 

"Well, it is a question of my offspring. They exhibit no signs of sharing my gifts. Have they been cloaked as I was?"

"Nay." The Angel shook her head, "you did not conceive them so much as they were bestowed upon you."

"So, my children, unlike most, are a literal gift from God?"

"Aye, that is right." The Angel smiled, "They are most assuredly human."

"How can they be human if I'm their mother?"

"You were their vessel and you are their caretaker but you did not contribute yourself to their make-up."

"Are they God's children?"

"All are God's children." The Angel quirked a smile. 

"You know what I mean." Miranda crossed her arms across her chest with indignance. 

"Nay, worry not. They are not the second coming. You are not fit to bear the second coming because you are not human. Though the second coming isn't far away."

"Okay." Miranda nodded, content with that answer. "One last question. Why was I granted two? For that matter, why was I granted any at all?"

"To answer the second question first, you were rewarded for turning away from the sex business. They are a means by which to ground you a little. There are two of them in the spirit of Romulus and Remus."

"Is one then destined to kill the other?" Miranda demanded with alarm.

"I do not know. I am not entrusted with that information. I shouldn't think so. But then the Lord does move in mysterious ways."

"Granted, but you've known him for a while, is it something he'd be likely to do?" 

"Nay, Miranda. I have to impart upon you why I appear before you this eve," The Angel held up a hand to silence Miranda, "in this, your one hundred and fortieth, year you are charged with proving yourself. Your birth should not have actually been allowed to happen. Your father is a djinn, he is now an imprisoned genie. Genies are inherently evil and angels are the protectors of goodness. God allowed you to be so that you might be a protector of good. You are not allowed to be for the express purpose of being, that is solely for humans, which you are not. Being half angel you are duty bound to God."

"I'm meant to prove myself?" Miranda narrowed her eyes.

"Aye." The Angel nodded. "The girl is your test."

"The girl? One of my girls?"

"Nay, the one who calls herself Andy." 

"Andrea is my test?" Miranda demanded with incredulity, "how can that be? What do I do?"

"The answers are for you to figure out." 

Suddenly the light brightened until Miranda had to close her eyes and turn away. She huddled on the floor, unable to look upon the light. 

When it dissipated and she looked up The Angel was gone. "Until next time, mother." Miranda muttered as she sat at her desk and picked up the book. 

While Miranda enjoyed sleeping and dreaming, it was not anything that her body actually required and spending all night with the book was not uncommon. Tonight, she could scarcely concentrate on the book. She couldn't imagine how Andrea could be her test.

The idea was ridiculous. The idea was ludicrous. 

In the morning when she entered her kingdom, she didn't spare even a glance at Andy as she threw her belongings onto her desk. She sat in her chair and scowled in the direction of Andy's desk. "Andrea, get me a coffee!"

Andy jumped up from her desk. She felt very disoriented and unnerved from having had a bizarre blackout that apparently lasted two days. 

Miranda stood from her desk and walked to the window. She looked down at the street and at the people milling around. She watched as Andy hurried out of the building and across the street to the Starbucks. 

Miranda marveled. Somehow that impertinent, unfashionable girl held her fate.


	3. Chapter 3

Miranda took any and every opportunity to send Andy out of the office. She wanted to not have to see her, to go about her lives and pretend that Andy was just a meaningless blip on the radar. 

Such was not the case, of course, but a girl could dream.

Miranda emerged from her office at 3:15, "I am going home." She announced and Emily looked up at her, startled. "Clear my appointments."

"But Miranda!" The brit protested.

"Clear the afternoon, reschedule my meetings and cancel everything else." Miranda barked. When she turned around Andy was standing their with her things. Miranda snapped them up from her and gave Andy an unholy glare before gliding to the elevators with elegance.

"I don't get it." Andy said to Emily as the elevator doors slid shut and took their boss out of sight. "She's been ignoring me all day."

"I would just consider it a favor and enjoy it." Emily rolled her eyes, scratching out several appointments from the planner she kept and picked up the phone to reschedule meetings. 

"Did I do something wrong?" Andy blinked.

"One would think your very existence was offensive enough." Emily muttered under her breath, "Lana, it's Emily, I need to reschedule Miranda's appointment with Vera... I know, I'm sorry, but she flew out of here in a whirlwind... oh heaven knows what's gotten into her today... Actually, Friday at 4 looks perfect. You're a dear."

Andy plunked down in her chair and sighed. 

Miranda had her driver swing by Dalton and Miranda picked up the girls from their after school activities. They were happy to see her and it warmed Miranda's heart. She held them tightly and kissed the tops of their heads before ushering them back into the car. 

"I am all yours this evening, babies, what would you like to do?" Miranda sat in the car with her ankles crossed exuding sophistication. 

"We have to write stupid response papers about Huckleberry Finn."

"Just, like, a paragraph, but we have to type them up." The twins muttered. "I hate stupid response papers." 

"Well, one often has to do things one does not want to in the pursuit of knowledge. You only have one week before school lets out." Miranda smiled a little, "you can write those right away and then we could watch a movie."

"Finding Nemo?" Their eyes lit up.

Miranda gave a little nod, "if we must." Miranda was loathe to admit she had seen the film a total of 35 times at the behest of her children. The first time was sweet but the other 34 had just been irritating. On the other hand her children loved it and an hour and forty minutes out of her lifetime per showing was an extremely insignificant interval. 

Miranda settled into her study, she could hear the girls starting to type on their computers. She booted up her own computer and checked her e-mail. 

"Printing!" Yelled Cassidy after a few minutes. 

"Alright, bob. I'll pull it out for you." Miranda replied as the printer whirred to life. All five computers in the house were wirelessly connected to the one printer. 

The lone page of Cassidy's paper lay on the printer tray. Miranda picked it up and gasped as looked at it. 

SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY SAVE ANDY

"Cassidy, get in here!" Miranda demanded. 

"Printing mine," Caroline called. 

Miranda whimpered. She yanked the page from the printer as it finished. Miranda let out a shriek, the likes of which had never come from her mouth. 

In the middle of the page that Cassidy printed was the singular sentence: evil watches over her. Miranda's heart pounded in her chest, she was feeling weak and she grabbed for her chair desperately as the twins raced into the room.

"What is the meaning of these papers?" She demanded angrily waving them at the girls, "is this some sort of sick joke?!"

The twins grabbed the papers from her and their jaws fell. "I did not write this!" Cassidy insisted, as did Caroline. 

"You can go look at my computer! This is supposed to be about how stupid Huckleberry Finn is. I don't even know any guys named Andy!" 

"And I always capitalize the first word of a sentence, thank you very much." Caroline crossed her arms across her chest, "that's just poor formatting. I don't know what that is!" 

"Girls, on your lives you'd better be telling me the truth." Miranda ground out through her tightly clenched teeth. 

The twins paled as they stared at Miranda's computer. Miranda followed their gaze and turned to see her computer flicker and flash Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. 

"Psalm 8:2." She breathed in disbelief. Miranda had only read the bible in its entirety once but had the infinite and infallible memory of an angel. "This is not happening."

"This is a hardcore virus." Cassidy's eyes were wide.

Miranda flicked her wrist towards the computer and it fell silent, all lights shutting off and the fan slowly pattering out. Miranda's heart was beginning, finally, to slow but as it neared normalcy the monitor clicked back on and the psalm was once again displayed. 

The girls looked to Miranda for comfort only to see her fall to her knees. She clasped her hands together and looked down. "Yea though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me. God, my God, I hear your message and I accept." Her chest heaved, "I will do my duty!" 

"Mom, what the fuck?" Cassidy dared speak. 

Miranda reached forward and took each girl by a hand and gave them gentle squeezes. "Cassidy, look into my eyes, do you have something to say to me?" Her voice was gentle and rhythmic and Cassidy stared forward into Miranda's eyes locked there.

"You have to keep Andy safe, you're not the only one who has an eye on her." Cassidy recited and when she finished she looked shocked.

"Caroline? Darling," Miranda stroked her thumb over her daughter's palm, "tell me what you know. Who is the evil that watches her?"

"He is someone she knows, someone she likes, someone she doesn't quite trust." Caroline said and then looked as shocked as Cassidy, "mom, what the hell is going on?"

"Babies, you're prophets." Miranda squeezed their hands. "God gave you to me to help me."

Cassidy reached out and pressed a hand to Miranda's forehead, "mom, are you feeling alright?" She deadpanned. 

Caroline looked over at her twin, "our mother has gone down the rabbit hole and she's somehow dragged us down with her." 

"Babies, listen to me." She cooed and they turned to her, calmed by her tone. "I'm sorry that you're being asked to go through this at such a young age, but I have to fulfill my duty to God and you've been sent to help me." 

"Mom, this is crazy." 

"I'm not human." Miranda said, deciding to attempt to explain before she showed off her eyes or her telekinesis. "I'm half angel and half genie. I'm 140 years old and I took tea with Queen Victoria once." Also aided in the French resistance during WWII, but that's a story for another time.

The girls stared at her with a mixture of perplexity and worry. They thought that Miranda had really gone around the bend. 

She let go of their hands. They attempted to back away but were frozen to the spot. She reached up and removed her contacts. At first her eyes were a deep blue. She had forced herself into a subdued demeanor to calm the girls. She had to change her mood and quick. 

In her mind she started thinking of all the fights she'd had with her most recent ex-husband. Her mind producing the transcripts easily. Her eyes quickly changed to a light, then dark pink.

The girls gawked. 

"Girls, I would never lie to you." 

They said nothing, just continued to stare.

Miranda looked over to the desk and levitated everything that was under 30 lbs and let them spin around the room around them. 

"Whoa!" The girls watched in awe. They looked back at Miranda, "you're half genie?" Miranda nodded, "do we get three wishes?"

Miranda laughed, "no. Genies don't really work like that."

"What else can you do?" 

Cassidy's arms lifted above her head in an arch and her foot came up, toe curling in and touching her knee. She laughed when she almost fell off balance and Miranda released her, "that's crazy, you did that?"

"Do me now!" Caroline grinned.

"You girls aren't weary of all this?"

"Oh, we're completely freaked, but we might as well reap the benefits. Yes?" Caroline grinned.

"How come you never use this on us? To make us clean our rooms or do the dishes or whatever?" 

"Because that's a terrible way to raise children." Miranda said, "I do however give you good dreams at night."

"So you can affect our moods?"

"If I do it we're watching Benji and donating Finding Nemo to needy children." 

The girls looked at each other and leaned in. They carried on a hushed conversation before they turned and nodded, "alright." 

Miranda laid her hands upon their foreheads. The physical contact was not a necessary step, but it was a nice touch for the purposes of theatrics. She spoke in a soft, loving voice, "you feel very peaceful and at ease and you're looking forward to a nice evening with your mother." 

While Miranda's commands had worked on the girls, she herself felt anything but at ease. She ate dinner with them and then they watched not one but two of the Benji movies. Miranda did very much enjoy the Benji series.

When the movies finished, the girls kissed Miranda's cheeks and headed off to bed after she wished them good dreams. Miranda retired to the sitting room to anxiously await Andy's arrival with The Book. 

"Hey Miranda girl." 

Andy looked up from her desk and smiled at Christian. "Hey," she hadn't seen him since he'd gotten the Harry Potter manuscript for her. It was nice to see him again, "what brings you by?"

"Well, you know, I did get you the Harry Potter book and I came to ask you to repay the favor."

"Oh?"

"Let me take you out to dinner." He leaned on her desk and batted his blue eyes at her. Emily scowled at them from her desk. 

"Yeah," she nodded, "alright. I could do it this weekend."

"How about tonight, you don't appear to be doing anything." He motioned to her computer which still had Solitaire displayed.

She laughed, "obviously, I'm playing a very important game of Solitaire, I'll have you know that the fate of the world depends on the outcome of this game."

"Does it? How fascinating." He grinned charmingly.

Emily didn't bother to try to hide her disgust and contempt. How did anyone make such a stupid joke, let alone laugh at aforementioned joke. She really did not understand Americans and their annoying humor. 

"I'm waiting for the book actually. I have to take it to Miranda." Andy admitted, "it doesn't usually get here until 10:30 and then it's 11 before I'm done."

"Sounds very tedious."

"I usually get some writing done so it's not that bad." Andy shrugged.

Christian flashed another devastatingly handsome smile, "if it doesn't arrive until 10:30, my calculations tell me that you have nearly four hours for dinner with me."

Andy snorted a laugh, "no, I can't leave my desk. Miranda would slay me."

"Who'd tell her?"

"Emily." 

"I would." Emily agreed from her desk, typing up Miranda's letter to the editor responses. "I get to leave at 6:30 and if she leaves and Miranda calls or comes by its both our arses."

"I have Saturday completely free though." Andy said, "would Saturday work for you?"

"Though it pains me to wait," he picked up her hands and kissed them. Emily rolled her eyes, "I suppose I will have to."

"I'll call you." Andy blushed under the attention. 

"I'll be waiting." Christian gave her another winning smile before disappearing down the hall. 

Emily looked up at Andy and glared until she looked. Andy fidgeted, "what?"

"Disgusting." Emily muttered. She grabbed her jacket and stood up from her desk. 

"Good night, Emily." Andy called with a smile. Emily muttered something and Andy laughed to herself as she turned back to her solitaire.

Miranda put her contacts back in at ten when she realized she was using the glow from her eyes to read by. Miranda had decided to try to protect Andy as Miranda for as long as possible without revealing her true self.

And to be Miranda she needed her icy blue contact lenses. She had the ability to manipulate her appearance. She always looked basically the same, her strong sharp features were reminiscent of the Romans, those never changed. Her hair color and length was completely at her discretion, as were all the lines on her face. Her eyes she had no control over. 

When she became Miranda she had an iceberg in mind. She wanted to be an educated, sophisticated, regal older woman. She wanted to appear cold and unreachable, she wanted to be feared. Respected, but feared. Her icy blue glare and her silver hair had brought thousands to their knees in fear and awe and respect.

She looked at herself in the mirror as she walked back down the stairs. She winked at her reflection and indulged in a small laugh, "not bad for 140, darling."

Miranda heard the front door open and close and the rustle of the dry cleaning as Andy hung up her clothes in the closet. 

"Andrea." Miranda said from the stairs as she stepped into Andy's line of sight. Miranda knew that she was going to have to earn Andy's trust in a hurry. 

Warmth seemed to be something that she had forgotten since donning the persona of an iceberg. She hadn't always been so cold, she was even, at times, quite personable. Always ambitious and driven, but formerly generous and of open heart. The way she had seen it, Miranda could not thrive in the new millennium America with any softness. 

She was going to have to relearn how to be trustworthy and approachable. 

Andy looked up at Miranda and was unsure what to think about the attention. It was quite a shock to be ignored all day and then be directly addressed. 

Andy looked up with big bright brown eyes and there was a little stutter in her voice. "Yes, Miranda?"


	4. Chapter 4

Miranda stepped closer to the anxious second assistant who was doing a rather brilliant impression of a deer caught in headlights.

Miranda held out her hand to Andy, "the book?"

Andy stepped forward and held out the book to Miranda. Miranda fixed her eyes on Andy's, Andy swooned a little. 

Miranda took the book from her but took Andy's hand with her free one, "come and have tea with me."

Right, the ability to bend minds is a good way to get someone to trust you. Miranda knew, though, that Andy had to honestly, genuinely and legitimately trust her. But the mind bending was a good start.

Andy looked a little skeptical, which surprised Miranda. Surely, she wasn't stronger than Miranda's power. "Please." Miranda said, speaking in a normal voice, speaking purely as Miranda Priestly, her boss. 

Andy nodded, "alright." 

Miranda gestured towards the sitting room where she had set out the tea service. Andy watched Miranda and waited for Miranda to sit before doing likewise. 

"May I pour you a cup?" Miranda asked, picking up the tea pot. 

Andy nodded, "yes, thank you." She was stunned, she was beginning to wonder if Miranda was suffering from a brain tumor, or if she was actually a victim of dissociative identity disorder. 

Miranda poured two cups full and lifted a saucer and tea cup and held it out to Andy. Andy held the tea cup delicately. "This set is amazing, is it an antique?" 

"Victorian era." 

"How much did that set you back?"

Two florins, if memory serves. "I got it at quite a bargain actually." Miranda said truthfully, sipping from her own cup. "Andrea, you need not handle the cup like it is going to break, it's silver."

"Sorry." Andy blushed a little and sipped the tea. 

Miranda watched her. She had had more and more trouble relating to new people. One might think that she could relate to almost anyone from having lived through so many eras and having met so many people. But in reality, she was just so different from the people that existed in the new millennium. 

"Tell me, how did you come to choose Andy as a nickname?" Miranda tried to hide her distaste for the name. 

"I had trouble saying Andrea when I was little and it just stuck. Plus, I was kind of a tomboy so it was cute." Andy shrugged, "haven't you ever had a nickname?"

"My parents called me Miri and friends of mine from London called me M which evolved into Emmy."

"Those are nice nicknames."

Familiarity breeds contempt, child. "Sufficedly so." Miranda smiled a little, "my daughters call me mom and I don't think I've liked the sound of any name better."

Andy smiled, thankful for this sentimental glimpse of Miranda. "That's sweet."

"You went to Northwestern," Miranda nodded, wanting to move the subject away from herself. "I've been there once." 

"Where did you go to school, Miranda?" Andy asked. As soon as she asked she looked nervous, she had been instructed to never question Miranda. However, everything she had been instructed about Miranda was currently shot to hell, so she dared ask. 

"I don't have a degree from anywhere." Miranda confessed, "but I have attended classes at Cambridge, Oxford and l'Université de Paris. I never bothered with American universities. I suppose I'm a bit of a European elitist." 

Andy nodded, "I'm duly impressed."

"When you reach my age it is inevitable that you have done at least something noteworthy. I've simply been around long enough to do it all." 

Andy shook her head. Miranda raised an eyebrow at the gesture. Andy spoke, "no, it isn't an age thing. For one thing, you're not old, and for another those things are completely impressive. I may not have known who you were before I worked for you but you've completely changed me." Andy admitted.

Miranda sat back in her seat and thought about that. On the one hand, it was relieving to have Andy warming to her already. On the other hand, she didn't know what to do with those feelings, she wasn't prepared for adulation -- of the professional kind, absolutely, of the personal kind, not as much. 

It was also unnerving to have Andy admit that she was changed by Miranda, because Miranda was changing because of Andy. That, in some twisted way, Miranda actually existed for Andy. That God had not struck down the bastard child, but instead preserved her for a purpose, meant that her very existence was about serving God and serving God meant protecting Andy. 

She had spent 139 years trying to be royalty only to find out she was a mere servant. She wanted to resent the 25-year-old but she found that she couldn't because the girl was so pure in goodness. The angel in her treasured the light in her heart, which was perhaps why she had found it impossible to turn her away at the interview. 

Andy fidgeted in her seat. Miranda had not spoken in minutes. 

"Miranda?"

Miranda looked up at her, pulled from her thoughts, "yes?"

"Was there something you specifically wanted to talk about? Not that I'm not enjoying the tea, but it's pretty late." 

"I wanted to say," Miranda sipped the tea, "that you are a good assistant and I appreciate you." The words had not come easily, she found humility left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Andy's face lit up. 

Idealistic girl who just wants a pat on the head and to be told she's done well. Miranda smirked. 

Christian was leaning against a telephone pole outside of Emily's apartment building when she emerged the next morning. 

She rolled her eyes when she saw him and started down the street away from him. He jogged a little to keep up with her. "Emily Charlton, right?" 

"I haven't the time for this." She scowled.

"I'll walk with you."

"Of course you will." She muttered under her breath, shifting her purse to the other shoulder. "What do you want?"

Christian smiled, "you don't like me, do you?"

"I dislike anyone who endeavors to make me late to work." Emily turned a pointed glare in his direction.

"I'm endeavoring no such thing." Christian insisted.

"You'd better not be hitting on me." Emily spat, "that display in the office last night was stomach wrenching and to pour all that saccharine over Andy... well, the day that someone hits on both she and I, I think I shall consider a radical lifestyle change."

"I'm not hitting on you."

"Well, thank heaven for that." Emily drawled, "get to the point and fast."

"You don't mince words, do you?"

"There is no point. Get to yours." 

"You don't like Andy, do you?" Christian smiled.

"If this is an intervention to ask me to be nicer to Andy or to convince me to stay late to cover the desk so you can take her to dinner I'm going to mace you."

He laughed easily, "nothing of the sort. It's a simple question. Do you like Andy?" 

"I don't know. I suppose she's a good enough person but she doesn't belong at Runway and I refuse to cover her ass or guide her through it."

"So you like her?"

"What the bloody hell is this?" Emily stopped and faced Christian, "and what the bloody hell does it matter to you?" 

"I was just thinking that if you didn't like her, we could help each other out." 

Emily stared at him with an eyebrow raised before she scowled and glared, "piss off."


	5. Chapter 5

When Emily arrived at Runway she looked across the aisle at Andy. She opened her mouth to tell Andy about her odd encounter with Christian, but decided not to. 

Andy scarcely noticed Emily's arrival in the office. She was swilling ginger ale and shoveling crackers into her mouth in the vain hopes of quelling her tossing stomach. When she did look up and see Emily at her post she leaped up, throwing a "be right back!" over her shoulder and rushing into the bathroom. She barely lifted the seat before emptying the contents of her stomach into the bowl. 

Miranda flurried into the office and halted at Andy's empty desk and curled her lip at the pitiful excuse for food and drink sitting on top of it. She turned to Emily.

Emily jumped up and held out her arms for Miranda's things, "heaven knows what's gotten into her."

Miranda shoved her jacket and purse into Emily's arms, "quite." Miranda smoothed out her clothes, "when she decides to grace us with her presence, inform her I would like to speak with her in my office."

Emily smiled at the thought of Andrea catching hell from Miranda. She hung Miranda's coat up and went back to her desk. 

A few minutes later when Andy decided she couldn't possibly throw anything else up she stood up shakily and went back to her desk. Just as she was about to sit a sharp "uh uh!" from Emily made her stand at attention. She groaned inwardly, cursing that she just agitated her stomach again.

"The queen desires an audience." Emily motioned to the office.

Andy walked weakly into Miranda's office. Miranda looked her up and down and nodded towards the chair. Andy grabbed the back of it for support as she lowered herself into it. 

"What the devil's gotten into you?" 

Andy managed a weak smile, "I've been puking all morning."

"I can't very well have you deal with people in this state, can I?" 

"I'm sorry, Miranda." Andy apologized, feeling like she was letting down the employer that had been so open and kind to her the night before. 

"Well, perhaps it will pass." Miranda shrugged a little, "have a lie down on the settee." 

Andy gawked at her.

"Don't stare at me, girl." Miranda insisted, "just do it."

Andy stood and as she did, the motion caused her stomach to lurch, "oh god..."

Miranda jumped up and ran to Andy, Andy had never seen Miranda move that quickly. "For the love of God, not on my rug," she pushed her towards her en suite bathroom. 

Andy hit her knees in front of the toilet and her body heaved as she threw up. Miranda approached and pulled back her long brown hair. When Andy finished Miranda helped her to her feet. 

Miranda put her hands on either side of Andy's face and turned her head down. Miranda pressed her lips to her forehead and pulled back, "you don't feel feverish. What did you have to eat last night?"

Relating to Andy? Difficult. Acting like a mother? Much easier. That she had had 10 years of practice at. 

Andy struggled to remember, reeling at the physical contact with Miranda and being able to still feel where her lips had touched her skin. "Um, j-just a grilled cheese with ham..."

"It might be food poisoning, I think you need to see a doctor."

"No, no. It's fine." Andy shook her head, "I don't need a doctor, Miranda."

"Hush." Miranda commanded and Andy felt completely compelled to listen. Miranda hit the speed dial button for her driver, "be outside Elias Clark in two minutes." She commanded and shut the phone. 

"Thank you, Miranda." Andy said quietly.

"Collect your things and mine." Andy opened her mouth to object and Miranda purse her lips and dared her to argue with her. "I'm going with you."

"You really don't have to do that, Miranda, you have a morning full of appointments, I can just go home and not put anyone out."

Miranda put up a hand, "I believe that I asked you to get our things a whole minute ago and you haven't yet made a move to comply. Why is that?" 

Andy hopped to and grabbed the aforementioned effects. Miranda grabbed her jacket and purse from Andy. 

"What if I have to throw up in the car?" Andy asked sheepishly, "I almost lost it on the subway this morning." 

Miranda took Andy's purse from her hands, "cheap knockoff." She emptied the contents onto her desk and handed it back to her. "Do the world a favor and vomit into this."

Emily watched speechlessly as Miranda led Andy out of the office. 

The ride down in the elevator was silent. Andy held her stomach with one hand and gripped the purse with all her might with the other hand. Miranda watched the numbers descending as the elevator plummeted downward. Andy's eyes were cast towards her feet. Miranda stole a glance at the girl. 

They settled into the car and rode in silence.

Miranda allowed herself to think back to the brothel she had run in London. She had set up shop a mere year before Jack the Ripper had begun to dissect the city's whores. None of her girls had been killed, they were not common streetwalkers, they lived and worked in the building that Miriam had owned. Why had God not asked her to protect the victims of one of the world's most elusive serial killers to date? Why had she not been called upon to save any or all of the victims who were unfortunate enough to fall prey? Miranda had been there, she'd been in the business, she'd been part of that world...

Why was Andy her charge when there had been so many more she could have saved? What made Andy special?

Miranda had instructed her driver to take them to her own personal physician. Of course, she'd never really been subjected to a physical, lest a doctor realize her heart beat was nearly three times slower than would be expected or that she had no small intestine. That was just one of the many occasions on which it was helpful to be able to bend minds. 

Miranda told them to have the doctor make time for Andy and then settled them down in the waiting room. Andy sighed and looked over at Miranda who was swinging her foot impatiently. "Miranda, I don't get it."

"We'll get you checked out and then we'll figure it out."

"No, I mean, you. I don't get why you care so much all of a sudden." Andy confessed, "I don't want to sound ungrateful because, actually, I'm really touched and I really like it. But I don't get it."

Miranda looked over at Andy. She locked eyes with her. Andy's eyes were searching Miranda's, an action taken completely in vain, considering her eyes were the one physical attribute that was completely hidden.

"It's quite a long story." Miranda said after a few moments. "The short version is that I care about you for reasons that are outside of my knowledge and I need you to know that I'm here for you."

Andy smiled a little, "will you tell me the long version some time?"

Miranda took Andy's hand and gave it a squeeze. She sighed. "Maybe," she looked over at Andy, "if you don't annoy me." 

"You're a really good person, Miranda."

Miranda took in a long breath and let it out slowly. 

The nurse walked into the waiting room, "Andrea Sachs?" 

Andy stood up but Miranda stayed seated, still holding on to Andy's hand, "I requested to see the doctor, nurse."

"You'll see the doctor." The nurse nodded, "I'm just doing the preliminary." 

Miranda pursed her lips and stood, letting go of Andy's hand. Inside the examination room the nurse took Andy's blood pressure and her temperature. Miranda sat in the corner of the room looking aggrieved. 

"I'm going to draw some blood now," the nurse said as she pulled the needle out of its sterile packaging. She rubbed a cotton ball with isopropyl alcohol on her arm and inserted the needle, drawing blood. "Legally, you don't have to allow her in here." The nurse said softly. 

"It's okay." Andy said.

The nurse whispered, "I've dealt with Miranda Priestly before and if you don't want her to know that you don't want her here, I can make something up."

"Really," Andy insisted, she glanced over her shoulder at Miranda and then back to the nurse, "I want her here."

Miranda cast a glare at the nurse. The woman wasn't nearly as discrete as she thought she was. 

"There, got all I need." The nurse shrank under Miranda's gaze, she wanted to escape the room as quickly as she could. She offered a small smile to Andy and categorically avoided looking at Miranda, "the doctor will be right in."

The nurse left the room and Miranda stayed quiet. Andy turned around and looked at her and watched her, but she didn't speak. 

The Priestly family doctor, Dr. Harrison, entered the examination room a few minutes later. "This isn't one of the girls." He laughed, "she's too big. Are you keeping something from me, Miranda?"

"She's an employee." Miranda said simply. She found his familiarity with her obnoxious and condescending. She always kept her replies short.

Dr. Harrison pulled his chair up to Andy and put the ear pieces of his stethoscope into his ears and put the end to her stomach, "it's definitely making noise. The nurse's notes say you don't have a fever, that's a good sign. Any chance that you're pregnant?" 

Andy laughed, "no, none." 

"You haven't had sex within the past four months?"

Andy opened her mouth, hesitated, then shook her head, "no.” Miranda sat forward and watched with interest. 

"Why the pause, Andrea?" Dr. Harrison sat back in his chair. "Because if you have had sex and you could be pregnant, you should tell me now."

"I can't be pregnant." Andy insisted, "I had sex last month but I know I'm not pregnant."

The doctor scoffed, "Andrea... you can't know that."

"I didn't have sex with a man." Andy sneered at him, "so I can know that." 

Good girl, Andrea, do not let him condescend to you. Miranda sat back in her chair with a smile, resuming her disinterest. 

When the doctor found his voice again, he nodded curtly, "alright then." He held up a sterile cup, "I need you to pee into this cup to check your level of dehydration. You can use the bathroom across the hall." 

Andy took the cup, jumped down off the exam table and left the room.

Harrison turned towards Miranda, "what's she to you?"

"She's an employee." Miranda scowled.

"Yeah and you always hold your employees hands during medical procedures, right?" He rolled his eyes, "Miranda, level with me. Did you sleep with her?"

"No." Miranda glared. Andy came back in and held out the cup to the doctor. "Are you going to pump her stomach?"

"She's not severe," he shook his head, "I think she just needs to rest and ride it out."

The nurse stuck her head into the room, "doctor, may I speak with you for a moment?"

"Excuse me." He slipped out. 

Miranda was flustered and Andy sat next to her. "I don't think I thanked you for coming with me."

Miranda sighed and patted her knee. 

"You're upset."

Miranda pursed her lips, "he asked me if I was sleeping with you." 

Andy blushed. Miranda wasn't paying attention to the reaction and Andy was grateful. Andy didn't often talk about her sexuality, it had simply been a fact of her life since high school and she didn't often give it much mind. She worried now that Miranda would think differently of her after hearing her confession. 

Miranda's concerns lay elsewhere, of course, not to mention that angels and genies were quite sexually indiscriminate. 

Andy's whole body had flushed when Miranda's hand moved on her knee. She was forced to realize what she'd been trying to ignore for months. She was attracted to Miranda. Andy drew in a shaky breath.

Miranda turned to her, "Andrea, what's wrong?"

Before Andy could respond the doctor reentered the room, drawing both women out of their thoughts and turning their attention to him. "The nurse came back with the results of your blood test." 

"And?" Miranda demanded.

The doctor attempted to conceal his smug smile, "you're pregnant, Ms. Sachs." 

Andy and Miranda's jaws fell open. For different reasons entirely, both women stared at the doctor in sheer, utter disbelief.


	6. Chapter 6

Miranda paced her living room. Her feet travelled over the carpeting that she was surprised that she hadn’t worn it down. 

The front door opened and two fiery redheads bounded in the front door. “Mom! Mom!” They called as they ran from room to room on the ground floor.

“I’m in the sitting room, girls.” Miranda chewed a fingernail nervously.

“What happened?” Caroline demanded with worry coloring her face, it was mirrored by her twin sister.

The twins were unnerved by the change in their routine. Normally they got out of school at three and went to various after school activities until 6:30 when Miranda’s driver picked them up and deposited them at the townhouse. When the driver had been waiting for them at three and told them they were going home they began to worry.

Miranda held out her arms for her girls and they rushed to her. “Everything just got infinitely more complicated.” Miranda wrapped her arms around her daughters and kissed their foreheads. “I believe that Andrea is the new millennium’s virgin Mary.” 

Cassidy couldn’t help but giggle a little, “Andy’s a virgin?”

“No. She doesn’t actually have to be a virgin, she has to be pure of heart.” Miranda sighed, still holding on to her children tightly. “And obviously the other side is not going to just sit idly by and let the second coming be born. Andy is going to be in terrible danger and I have to protect her because it is my duty to God. And I am duty bound as a mother to protect the two of you. Which is exactly why I’ve called your father and he’ll be here in the morning to collect you.”

The girls pulled away from her and stared at her, “no way, mom!” 

“This shit just got interesting! We can’t just leave!” Caroline objected heartily.

“We’re your prophets, right? You said God gave us to you to help you! You said that and you can’t just send us away!” 

“Precisely, God gave you to me and as your mother my responsibility, forsaking all others, is to keep you safe.”

“Forsaking all others doesn’t count when the other is God!” Cassidy yelled. 

“Tomorrow morning you are getting on a plane to go to Chicago, Illinois with your father. Nothing, short of the almighty himself coming down here to tell me to keep you with me, is going to prevent the two of you from getting on that plane.” Miranda said in a low voice. “I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you two.” 

“But mom!” Cassidy started, a bit deflated.

“You will keep your cell phones with you and if you have some prophetic dream or something you can call me, but I refuse to knowingly put you in harm’s way.”

The girls nodded begrudgingly. 

“Go pack your bags.” Miranda said softly, then added, “I’ve already informed the school. So if it’s any consolation you don’t have to do your homework.”

Cassidy managed a small smile, “is a little.” 

When the girls disappeared into their bedrooms Miranda went upstairs to the guestroom where Andy lay sleeping. Miranda had brought her back to the townhouse and used her abilities to make her sleep. 

She would have to wake her soon. 

Miranda sat on the bed next to the most important human being on Earth. Andy’s chest rose rhythmically and calmly with each breath. Her hands were laid over her stomach. her skin was smooth and flawless and creamy. Miranda ran her hand over Andy’s forehead and closed her eyes. 

“I wish I could let you sleep through the whole thing, I wish I knew how to better protect you.” Miranda whispered to the sleeping figure. “The truth is that I am as unprepared for this as you are. The fate of the entire existence lay in our hands and in your womb. You are the bearer of the Saviour.” 

Andy continued to sleep. Miranda traced her features with a long slender finger, she leaned down and kissed her forehead. “I don’t know how to tell you any of this. You should eat.” Miranda’s eyes were wet and it irritated the contacts, she rubbed her eyes. She sighed and then nodded once. “You can wake up now.”

Andy awoke with a gasp. She sat straight up and looked over at Miranda, “oh… that was so weird.”

“What was?” 

“I dreamt that an angel was standing over me and she kissed my forehead. When she kissed me it was so comforting and relaxing and then I woke up really suddenly.” 

“Yo, Cass!” Caroline ran into her sister’s room with a piece of paper and a pencil in hand. “When I was packing my right hand was sort of twitching.”

“Mine too!” Cassidy’s eyes widened.

“Well, check this out.” Caroline laid the paper down on the desk and held the pencil, prepared to write. Her hand flew over the page, making a nearly perfect grid and when she was finished they both stared at the paper. 

“That’s a map of the neighborhoods around our house.” Cassidy stared at the paper with wide eyes. “This is the house and I know that this is the Starbucks.” 

“What happens when you take the pencil?” Caroline asked. 

“The same thing? The neighborhood?” 

“Why would you draw the same thing if we typed out different messages in our papers?” Caroline reasoned.

Cassidy opened her drawer and pulled out a red colored pencil, “there is only one way to find out.” She put the point down to the paper and let her hand move over the surface. 

When her hand stilled the girls looked down at the paper to see that Cassidy had drawn a path and a perfectly drawn star at the end of an alley. They stared at it wordlessly for a moment before Caroline picked it up and studied it. 

“It’s like divine GPS.” Cassidy laughed. “We have to follow the map, we have to see what’s at the end of the line, on the star!” 

“You don’t think mom is supposed to follow the map?” 

Cassidy shook her head, “no, I feel it, this is for us.” 

“Alright let’s go.” Caroline nodded and the twins grabbed the map and slipped out of the house unnoticed. 

“Miranda, I don’t understand any of this, how can I be pregnant?” 

Miranda stood up from the bed and crossed the room. She chewed on a fingernail anxiously. She felt that she ought to give Andy a bit of time before she sprung the truth on her. 

Miranda looked at the wall and avoided looking at Andy, “these things happen sometimes.” Andy gawked incredulously, Miranda didn’t see. “I didn’t think I was capable of getting pregnant and then I had the girls.” 

“That is so different, Miranda, you were sleeping with your husband, right?” Andy asked. Miranda nodded, though their conceptions were much more similar than Andy realized. “I haven’t had sex with a man in… 2 years? Sleeping with a man or a turkey baster is a pre-requisite to being pregnant.” 

“Perhaps your lady friend had a turkey baster then?” Miranda smirked a little, “did you feel like cranberry sauce the next morning?” 

“I can’t believe you’re being flippant.” 

Miranda said nothing. No, it was not like her to be flippant. Nothing she’d done in the past two days had seemed very much like her. She reasoned, though, that there was a point in everyone’s life that defined them. Clearly, being immortal did not exclude her from that. 

“I don’t mean to be flippant.” Miranda admitted, “I just am also having a hard time fathoming…” 

“Why did you take the day off work? Why did you bring me here?” 

“Do you always ask so many questions?”

“Of course, I’m a journalism major.” Andy allowed herself a small smile, “and obviously there’s a story here so I’m doing an interview.”

“I plead the fifth.” Miranda smirked.

“No, no. You can’t plead the fifth.” Andy shook her head, “this is serious, Miranda. This whole situation is so confusing and I would like to grasp hold of at least one thing I could understand so _please_ tell me why I’m here and why you care.”

“Because I care about you and what happens to you is important to me.” Miranda said.

“No, Miranda, I want the long version.” Andy insisted.

“Andrea, please, allow me to fix you something to eat and I promise to give you the long version tomorrow morning.” 

“You promise? On your life?” 

“On my very existence, I solemnly swear.” 

Andy studied her face for signs of sincerity. “Alright,” she nodded, “alright.”

“What do you want to eat then?” Miranda rubbed her forehead. Her contacts were killing her. She desperately wanted to take them out. 

“I don’t care. Whatever you and the girls want.” Andy shrugged, “I’m just starving.” 

Miranda nodded and left the room, she adjusted one contact and tried to remember where the eye drops had made off to. She knocked on Cassidy’s door, “Cassie, what would you like to eat for dinner?” 

There was no answer. “Cassidy?” Miranda opened the door and saw the suitcase open and half packed on her bed. “Caroline?” She went to the other bedroom and opened the door and also saw a half packed suitcase.

She stuck her head into every room on the floor and went downstairs, “girls? Where are you?” 

After a thorough sweep of the first floor Miranda began to panic. Horrible thoughts ran through her mind about whatever evil could have grabbed her daughters. She looked upwards, wearily worrying about Andy and about to explode with nerves for her daughters.

Just as Miranda was about to unleash a magical fury the front door swung open and Miranda stood facing the girls.


	7. Chapter 7

“You girls are… in so much trouble.” Miranda was seething. “I come home and I tell you that horrible danger is afoot and the two of you just… run off! What were you thinking?”

“But mom!” Cassidy attempted to protest.

“If I wasn’t so glad you were safe I would strangle you.” Miranda started to pace again.

“Mom, stop that!” Caroline demanded.

Miranda stopped and turned to stare at Caroline. She couldn’t believe that she had the gall. She put a hand on her hip and dared Caroline to continue, let her give herself just enough rope to hang herself with.

Caroline swallowed hard. “Alright, well.” She fidgeted, “we were packing and our hands were twitching and we drew a map, like prophesized a map or whatever.”

Cassidy held up the map, “she drew the map, I drew the way.” 

Miranda snatched the map from their hands and studied it for a moment. “Oh fine. I’ll bite. What was on the star?”

Cassidy turned around and picked up a wiry haired Jack Russell Terrier. 

“Oh, absolutely not, Cassidy Anne Priestly!” Miranda objected with stern forceness. “It has a collar, it belongs to somebody.”

“No, no, mom, look.” Caroline held the dog’s tag up to show it to Miranda, “the tag says Priestly, he was on the star, he was exactly where the map said he’d be.”

“Coincidences all.” Miranda objected with a stern shake of her head. “He’s a stray.”

“A stray with a collar with your name on it?” Both twins’ mouths dropped open, unable to believe that Miranda didn’t see their logic. 

“If it was a sign for me it wouldn’t say Priestly, it would say Princhek or Miriam or Carlotta or… no, this is a coincidence. Priestly?” The dog perked his ears up and looked at Miranda, “it’s just his name. It’s not for me. Tomorrow I’ll bring him to the pound and they can find his owner.” 

“We can’t keep him? We lost Patricia last year and you said we could get another dog!” 

“He belongs to someone, sweetheart.” Miranda scowled, “we cannot keep someone else’s dog. I’m sure someone is already missing him terribly. I’m going to have Emily figure out where he belongs.”

“But mom, the map!” 

“No buts.” Miranda glared, “go up to your rooms and finish packing and then we’re having dinner and then you’re spending the rest of the evening in your rooms and I don’t want to see hide nor hair of you. Leave the dog with me.”

Cassidy set the dog down and cast Miranda her best injustice glare. Both doors slammed shut as the girls retreated. 

Miranda sighed and looked at the dog who looked up at Miranda alertly. “Priestly, huh? Do you sit?” The dog sat immediately, “trained, are you? Someone is definitely missing you.” 

Miranda pulled out her Razr and snapped his picture, sending it to Emily with the text: _Girls found him, answers to Priestly, make flyers. Use the office number._

Emily opened her phone and looked at the picture and rolled her eyes. She connected the phone to the computer to upload the photo as she muttered to herself, “of course the little monsters found a fucking dog. Make flyers she says… God forbid she’d have to take her royal arse to a kinkos.” 

A shadow was cast over her desk and she looked up to see Christian. “Don’t even start, you can just turn around and leave right now.”

“I heard a little rumor that Miranda wasn’t in today. I came to see Andy.”

“She’s not here.” Emily smirked, “you can leave now.”

“All her things are there,” he turned and pointed to the desk. “see?”

“She is not here. She left this morning around nine, as did Miranda.” Emily narrowed her eyes at him, “effectively making my day _hell_ thank you very much.”

“Hell, huh?” Christian quirked a grin. “Maybe I should take her things to her.” 

“No. Do not touch a thing from this office.” Emily stood up and her hands went to her hips, she glared at Christian. “Something _very_ strange is going on here and you know something about it, don’t you?”

“What would make you think that?”

“All of these weird things started happening when you started coming around.”

“Coincidence.” Christian grinned. 

“No,” Emily shook her head, “no, I don’t think that’s true at all. Christian Thompson, I want you to answer me.”

Christian’s gaze went to Emily’s computer screen when the picture of the dog came up. “That’s… a nice looking dog. Yours?” He fidgeted.

“No.” Emily scowled, “the Priestly brats found it. I’m meant to make signs to find its owner.” 

“Oh?”

Dinner was quiet. Andy watched as Miranda and the twins cast sidelong glares at each other. Miranda never fancied herself a cook and Andy would agree that that was an accurate description. Andy’s mother and grandmother had been amazing cooks and she had picked up a thing or two but Miranda’s food was a far cry from gourmet. 

Miranda would argue, in her defense, that little villages in England are not known for their cooking and when she got to London and France and New York she was wealthy enough not to have to cook. 

“We should feed the dog.” Cassidy said.

“I’ll feed the dog.” Miranda snapped.

“Will you feed him my food?” She held up the plate and raised an eyebrow defiantly. 

Miranda threw down her napkin and sat back in her chair, arms folded across her chest, she pursed her lips and set her icy blue stare on her daughter. 

Cassidy pushed her chair away from the table, “this is so much bullshit!” 

“Cassidy Anne, watch your language.” Miranda warned softly. “I am your mother and it is very disrespectful to talk to me like that.”

“I’m going to my room.” Cassidy muttered as she ran up the stairs. 

Caroline pushed food around her plate for a few more minutes. “Mom?”

“Fine. Go.” Caroline got up from the table and walked out of the room. Miranda rubbed her forehead and her eyes tiredly. 

“Miranda, maybe I should go.” Andy said, “I mean, I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me but I should get out of your hair.” 

“Andrea, stay.” Miranda insisted, “I owe you that explanation in the morning, right?”

“I can always come back.” Andy shrugged. 

Miranda looked across the table into Andy’s eyes. “No Andrea,” she said soothingly, “stay. You can finish your dinner and then go back upstairs to the guest room and sleep very peacefully until morning.” 

Andy was powerless to Miranda’s suggestion. She looked down to her empty plate and stood up. “I’m going to go back upstairs to the guest room and sleep.”

Miranda nodded, she reached out for Andy’s hands and took them both in her hands. “Andrea, everything is going to be alright because I’m here and I’m going to take good care of you.”

Andy smiled, “thank you, Miranda.” 

“Have beautiful dreams, Andrea.” Miranda squeezed her hands and released her. She leaned back in her chair and watched the girl ascend the stairs. Miranda leaned back in her chair. 

Priestly ran into the room and sat down next to Miranda’s chair and looked up at Miranda. “What?” He whined. “I suppose you want food, too.” Miranda took the two plates that the twins had abandoned and put them together on one plate and set it down for the dog who started to eat it.

Miranda sighed, “at least someone likes my cooking.” Miranda watched the dog devour the food, “of course, that’s not high praise from a dog, is it?”

Priestly licked his lips, looking up at her. 

Miranda sighed again, “do you need water?” Miranda looked in the direction of the kitchen and waited until the bowl drifted out. She held out her hands and the bowl settled there. 

She set it down on the floor for Priestly. He lapped at it gratefully. “I think I’ll go prepare the long version that I’m meant to give to Andrea in the morning. Don’t care to help me, do you?” 

Miranda knocked off at midnight. She climbed into bed and wrapped herself up in her comforter. She believed that she deserved to have a good night before a strange morning. Not to mention that she was wracked with guilt for sending the girls away. If only they could understand that she would never choose to be away from them, if she could they would be with her every waking minute, that she loved them more than anything in the entire world. 

The simple fact of the matter was that she would forsake God for the sake of her children. Whether the little ingrates believed it or not. 

Her sleep was fitful and it was interrupted by a little body crawling onto the bed next to her and shaking her shoulder. Miranda opened her eyes, blinking, her eyes were a light subdued blue and turned an excited, nervous orange at the sight of her daughter. 

Cassidy’s eyes were wet, she rubbed them and sniffled, “mom, are you mad at me?” She whispered.

“No, baby,” Miranda pulled her close, her eyes going to a relaxed green, she hugged Cassidy tightly, “no, I could never stay mad at you, darling.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry about, bobsey,” Miranda kissed her forehead, “I understand that you’re upset. I’m upset too and I don’t want to send you away. I would keep you by my side every day if I had my way. It just won’t be safe.”

Cassidy was crying, “I know, mom.” She buried her face in Miranda’s shoulder, “I’m worried about you, I want you to be okay.”

“Oh darling, don’t be ridiculous,” she soothed, smoothing out her hair. “I can’t die, baby.” 

“Really? Promise?” Cassidy sniffled, “how do you know? How can you be sure?”

“Well, I died once.” Miranda scratched Cassidy’s scalp gently.

“What’s it like to die?” 

“You’re only ten, you shouldn’t concern yourself with this, baby.” Miranda smiled a little, “you should be at least twelve before you think about that.”

Cassidy laughed, “promise me you’ll be careful anyway?”

“On my honor, baby.” She kissed Cassidy’s forehead. “Come Hell or high water, I am going to come and get you as soon as all of this is over.” 

“Hell or high water, huh?” Cassidy looked a little sad, “I bet you’re the only mom who can say that and mean it.” 

“Hey, good always triumphs over evil, don’t you watch movies?” Cassidy offered her a small smile. “I’m going to call you every day, bobsey, I will keep you and your sister completely abreast of everything going on. Go back to bed and get some sleep.” 

“I love you, mom.”

“I love you too, baby, more than you can even imagine.”


	8. Chapter 8

Todd arrived early in the morning and collected the girls. Miranda hugged them and held back her tears as Todd stood in the doorway. 

The girls clung to Miranda as she swore up and down that she would call them every day and told them that she would be available by text at any hour. The two of them finally let her go and walked out the townhouse, looking back at her as they left.

Priestly ran into the room and watched Miranda. “What do you want? I’m going up to talk to her. I didn’t see you leaping to help me last night.”

The dog ran up the stairs and started to scratch at Andy’s door. 

Miranda opened the door to the guestroom. She slipped inside and looked at Andy sleeping and if she didn’t know better she’d say she looked angelic. 

“Andrea, wake up.” Miranda whispered and Andy’s eyes fluttered open.

“Miranda,” she murmured, rubbing her eyes. “I get the long version now?” 

Miranda nodded, “over breakfast. It’s downstairs. And don’t worry, I ordered out.” 

Andy nibbled unenthusiastically on a strip of bacon and a triangle of toast. “Eat up, Andrea, you’re eating for two.”

“Yeah… I don’t know if I’m going to keep the baby, I’m not ready for a baby or a pregnancy and I’ve been thinking about it.”

Miranda stiffened and sat back in her chair. “Oh?”

“I mean, not to offend you if you’re against abortion or anything, but, you know, it’s my body.” Andy shrugged. “And my life.”

“I’m a firm believer that a person’s body is entirely their own. Some may say that we do to ourselves we also do to Him, but God granted human beings free will. But I’m betting you didn’t really want a theological discussion.”

“Not particularly.” Andy shook her head.

“Then you aren’t going to like the long version very much.” Miranda smiled guiltily. She picked up a triangle of toast and took a bite. “I am well aware that what I’m going to tell you is going to sound unbelievable, but I swear to you that every word I speak is going to be the truth.” 

“O…kay.” Andy raised an eyebrow at Miranda.

“I am not human.” Miranda began. In 139 years she had only ever had to give the angel speech twice, once to her daughters and now to Andrea. It had always been her prerogative to keep it to herself. Not to mention that the idea was wholly unfathomable. “I am an angel and I have been sent here to protect you.”

Andy scowled, “Miranda, don’t patronize me.”

Miranda reached up and took out her contact, her eyes shining a bright golden. “Andrea, I assure you, I am not patronizing you.” 

Andy stared at Miranda. She glowed, she was a spectacular sight. “An angel? This is ridiculous Miranda…” She stuttered, “this… this… I can’t… an angel?”

Miranda nodded, “and I have a duty to God to protect you and you have a duty to mankind to carry your baby to term.”

Andy scoffed, “so, you’re what? Like, a missionary sent down to convert me? Like an angelic evangelist?”

“No.” Miranda frowned, “I believe that the baby you are carrying is God’s child, that you have inside of you, the second coming. If the other side gets a hold of you that baby is going to grow up to be the anti-Christ. I cannot impress upon you enough how important this is.”

Andy shook her head, “no, no… I don’t believe any of this Miranda.”

Miranda took the empty glass from the table and walked to the other end of the room. Andy watched her curiously. Miranda turned to Andy and threw the cup straight at Andy. Andy’s heart skipped a beat and she stared at Miranda with worry and just before it hit her in the head it stopped in midair. 

“What the fuck, Miranda?”

“I wasn’t going to let it hit you.” Miranda assured. Then as if it were on an invisible string Miranda pulled the cup back to her hand, “I’m just trying to prove this all to you.”

“So… you’re here to protect me for God?”

Miranda nodded curtly. “Yes.” 

“So you’ve lied to me. Repeatedly, consistently, pathologically.”

Miranda pursed her lips and furrowed her brow, “I don’t tell anyone what I am. Why do you feel that you are entitled to know?”

Andy was speechless for a moment, “you don’t care… you don’t care about me at _all_.”

“Impertinent girl! I’ve told you that I care about you and that I care about what happens to you.” Miranda scowled.

“Yeah, but it isn’t _Miranda_ speaking. _Miranda_ couldn’t give a shit. The angel cares because God told her to care.”

“You’re completely over-personalizing this, Andrea.” Miranda rolled her eyes, “I haven’t _lied_ to you, I didn’t _tell_ you that I was an angel but what possible reason ought I have had to reveal this to you? I’ve had eight husbands who have never known.”

Andy stared at Miranda. She watched Miranda sitting across the table from her looking very put upon. 

“I…” Andy sighed. “I just don’t think it’s fair that you’ve made me think that you cared about me when in reality, you really don’t. I am just an obligation to you.” 

“I’m going to say this once, girl.” Miranda all but snarled, “Miranda Priestly is not who I am. I am not Miranda. Many years from now after the world has forgotten about Miranda Priestly I will still _be_. I will be, as I have always been, an angel. You’re right, though. Miranda Priestly doesn’t care about you. Miranda Priestly wouldn’t get out of bed for the fat girl from the Midwest. However, I, the angel, care deeply and sincerely for you. You’ll have to take me at my word.”

“If you’re not Miranda, I don’t know you.” Andy said softly.

“You know me, Andrea. You know me because you’ve tried to know me and I have been more honest with you than I have been with anyone in a long time because _you_ care.” 

There was a long silence as Miranda let Andy think about what she’d just said. Andy stood up from the table. “Do you mind if I go upstairs and sleep for a little bit longer?” 

Miranda shook her head, “not at all.” 

Andy stood up from the table. “I’m sorry I didn’t eat much. I’m just not really hungry.”

Miranda shook her head, “I’ll give it to the dog.” She waved her hand dismissively. “He’ll love it.” 

Andy nodded and left the room. Miranda sighed and leaned forward on her elbows. She ate the last bit of her toast and let out a small frustrated grunt. She heard a woof and looked up. “All right.” She rolled her eyes, floating the dish down to the floor for the dog.

Andy sat on the edge of the bed in the guestroom. She sighed heavily and went to the window and saw the fire escape. She went over to the door and made sure it was shut before running back to the window and opening it. 

Once she was on the street she picked up her cell phone. She dialed Christian.

“Miranda girl.” He smiled on the other end.

“Oh my God, Christian!” Andy was relieved to hear his voice. “I am having the most ridiculous morning! Are you free for breakfast? I need to have some sane conversation.”

“Absolutely, name the place.”

“La Bella Gnocchi, two blocks from Miranda’s, do you know it?”

“Know it and love it. I’m on my way, hold tight.” 

Andy hung up the phone and smiled. She ran the two blocks to the restaurant, it felt good to be out of the Priestly townhouse, into fresh, head clearing air. She didn’t think her heart could take any more time with Miranda. 

She took a seat on the fence outside the restaurant and took in the freedom of being outside. Not that she hadn’t enjoyed being around Miranda. At the beginning. She felt betrayed, she felt like Miranda had slapped her in the face.

Not to mention almost hit her in the face with a mug. Whether she would have let it hit her or not.

Christian walked up to her and smiled, “hey, what did you do, run here?”

“I did actually.” Andy laughed and stood up, “it’s been that kind of day.”

“At only nine in the morning, you poor thing.” Christian motioned to the door of the restaurant, “allow me to buy you breakfast.”

Andy walked into the restaurant with Christian and they got a seat right away when they recognized him. Andy ordered orange juice and Christian ordered a coffee and they settled in. 

“Tell me about your morning.” Christian took Andy’s hand and looked into her eyes.

Andy, being affected by Christian’s mesmerizing, similar to Miranda’s, was powerless to resist telling him. “Well, I’m pregnant and Miranda told me that she’s an angel and that I’m in danger.”

“Miranda, huh? Well, I am shocked…” Christian had to admit that Miranda Hell on Heels Priestly was the last person he would have expected to be her protecting angel, but it seemed all the better, because who wouldn’t trust Christian more than Miranda? “Andy, you are in danger.”

“What?” 

Christian nodded, “and the danger is Miranda.”


	9. Chapter 9

Miranda walked into the foyer and saw that no one had delivered the book the night before. It annoyed her. She started to pull out her phone to give Emily a piece of her mind but was interrupted by Priestly barking.

“What?” She scowled.

The dog continued to bark at her. Miranda rolled her eyes, “dog! Look, I have a lot on my mind and I don’t need you barking at me. It’s very distracting.” 

The barking was getting more and more desperate. “Do you need to relieve yourself?” Miranda sighed. She walked towards the door, “if I take you for a walk will you shut up?”

Priestly ran up the stairs and stopped at the guestroom door, he scratched furiously at the door. 

“Andrea is sleeping, dog, stop that.” Miranda climbed the stairs after him. He didn’t stop scratching. Miranda reached down and picked him up. He wiggled desperately and started to bark. “Fine!” She set him down.

Priestly scratched at the door and started to bark, shrill, desperate barks. Miranda opened the door, “Andrea, I’m sor-”

The room was empty. “ _God. Damn._ ” Miranda ran her hand through her hair, her eyes transitioning quickly between conflicting emotions. She was briefly reminded of a disco ball, which made her roll her eyes. 

“Where did she go?” Miranda looked up and saw that the dog had run off. “Oh great. For that matter, where are you?” 

The dog ran into the room and up to Miranda. He dropped a piece of paper at her feet. She reached down and picked it up. It was the menu for La Bella Gnocchi, from whom she had ordered breakfast. 

The dog sat and looked up at her loyally.

“Okay, I get it, you’re here to help.” Miranda threw the menu down to the floor, “go wait for me in the garage, I have to get my keys.”

Andy watched Christian curiously. So much for her sane conversation. “What do you mean Miranda is the danger?”

“Well,” Christian started, leaning forward, “you have been chosen to bear the second coming. There are two people here on this earthly plane who have a big stake in this. There’s an angel and a demon, since neither God nor Lucifer can set foot here themselves. _Miranda_ is the demon, she wants your baby to grow up to be the anti-Christ and I, the _angel_ , want your baby to grow up to be the second coming.” 

Andy stared at Christian. “But Miranda… she was so nurturing…”

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James, chapter four, verse seven.” 

“Even the devil can quote scripture to fit his needs.” Andy murmured, thinking to herself and thought, it’s usually the devil who does. It all seemed a little too convenient. An angel named Christian? Miranda just trusting her to stay put? Miranda was a complete terror to work for, wouldn’t a demon try to be, well, more angelic? 

“What’s that?” Christian smiled.

“Your juice, ma’am.” The waiter set the orange liquid in front of Andy, then the coffee in front of Christian. “And sir, your coffee.”

Andy looked at the waiter, then at Christian and stood up, knocking the coffee into his lap. He jumped up and hissed an angry screech. Andy booked it out of the restaurant. She pulled out her cell phone, her hands shook, she dialed Miranda.

“Miranda! Angel… whatever the fuck you want to be called! Pick up your fucking phone!” Andy screamed when she was dumped straight to voicemail.

Christian grabbed her around the waist, “I don’t think so, Miranda girl.” 

Andy screamed and Miranda’s car screeched to a halt in front of the two. “You’re too late, angel!” Christian yelled at Miranda as she jumped out of the car. “You’ve lost! She’s only been pregnant for 24 hours and you’ve already lost!” 

“Don’t count on that!” Miranda snarled as Priestly leaped from the car window and jumped at Christian as Andy ducked.

Christian yelped as Priestly latched onto his shoulder and was growling angrily. Christian writhed and dropped to the pavement, trying to shake the dog loose. 

“Jesus!” Andy exclaimed.

“Get in the damn car!” Miranda scowled as she got back into the driver’s seat. Andy climbed into the passenger’s seat. “You’ll want to buckle up, I’m not a very good driver.” Miranda warned as the tires screeched and she sped back onto the road.

Andy scrambled to get her seatbelt on. “How the hell did no one step into to help us? I know New Yorkers don’t care but how the hell do people just walk by that?”

Miranda jerked the car around a corner, “Christian cloaked it, he didn’t want anyone to intervene so he made people think that nothing was going on.” 

Andy clung to the dashboard and looked behind her, “Miranda, are you making a circle?”

“I have to get the dog!” The tires protested as she rounded a very wide turn back onto the street with the restaurant. “Roll down your window.”

“Huh?”

“Roll down your window _now_.” 

Andy hurriedly rolled it down and as Miranda came to a screeching stop in front of the restaurant Priestly jumped through the open window and she sped off again, jerking everyone back hard.

“Miranda, would you be really offended if I closed my eyes while you drive?” Andy whimpered, “it’s kind of making me nauseous.”

“Be my guest.” Miranda snorted a small laugh. “We’re going to the airport, we have to go to Europe.”

“I don’t have my passport,” Andy objected. 

“Oh, well, gee, then isn’t it good I have mind control abilities?” Miranda said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

“Hey. Come on, you don’t have to be so sarcastic, this shit is all really new to me!” 

“Yeah, well, if you hadn’t snuck out of the townhouse and met with _the demon_ , he wouldn’t know that _I’m_ the angel and we could have stayed in New York for at least another month. But you did and he does so we can’t.” 

“Point taken.” Andy said in a small voice. 

Priestly climbed into Andy’s lap and laid down. Andy petted him because she didn’t know what else to do. Just when she didn’t think Miranda’s Mercedes could take any more abuse she pulled into a parking spot at the airport. 

Miranda grabbed a leash from the backseat. “Put the leash on the dog.” The one and only time she was glad that Caroline and Cassidy didn’t put anything away when she told them to. She grabbed a handful of things from the backseat. “Onward and upward.”

Andy quirked her eyebrow in confusion at the collection of things Miranda was holding but she got out of the car and started out in the direction of the airport. Andy clipped the leash on and hurried after Miranda. 

Miranda pushed the sunglasses more securely onto the bridge of her nose as they entered the airport.

Miranda was looking up at the board. Flight to London, leaving in 20 minutes, they could make it. Andy and Priestly caught up with them, Priestly lunged forward, knocking Andy into Miranda. Miranda’s sunglasses went flying.

Miranda’s hand went over her eyes. “Andrea, my glasses, I need my glasses!” She hissed desperately.

“Not important, Miranda. I’ll buy you a new pair.” 

“No,” she ground out, “I didn’t have time to put my contacts back in so I need my glasses. I can’t disguise my eyes, I need the glasses.”

“Oh! Right!” Andy ran forward to grab the glasses, she rushed them back to Miranda who threw them on immediately.

“There’s a flight to London on Gate 25, we can make it, go!” 

Miranda was more adept at maneuvering through crowds than Andy was but Priestly was a big help, pulling her through people whether she wanted to or not. He brought them to a stop next to Miranda at the gate.

Miranda put down two coloring books and two flyers out of a newspaper, one advertising used cars and the other McDonalds. “Here are our passports, here are our tickets.” Miranda reached down and picked up Priestly, “this my carry on.” 

The attendant typed something into the computer and smiled, “of course, you’re in first class, seats 34 and 35.” She ripped the ends off of the flyers and handed them back to Miranda. “Enjoy your flight.” 

“This is really surreal.” Andy muttered to herself as they were lead to their seats. Andy opened up one of the coloring books to a poorly colored purple Barbie, “I have to say Miranda, you don’t take a good picture.” 

Miranda smiled a little, opening the other one, “my little pony. At least I’m in the right species ballpark.” 

Andy turned serious, “Miranda, we’re going to be okay, right?” 

Miranda took Andy’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “Of course we are.”


	10. Chapter 10

Miranda put the headphones into her ears and slept for a few hours. Andy had asked the stewardess for a pack of crayons and was coloring the rainbow pony. 

Miranda stretched as best she could and Priestly, who was sitting in her lap looked up from a pup nap, only to conclude that nothing was happening that required his attention. She looked over at Andy’s drawing. “You’re a better colorer than the girls.”

“I’ve had more years of practice,” Andy smiled a little, “I only have four colors, it’s a pretty poor excuse for a rainbow.” 

Andy looked over at Miranda’s long slender fingers and she reached out and gingerly touched them. Miranda turned her hand over and Andy slid her palm over Miranda’s and threaded her fingers through hers. “Will you tell me a little about you?”

Miranda looked over at her.

“Since you’re not really _Miranda_.” Andy smiled.

Miranda nodded a little, “I was raised in Cornwall. I’ve lived there, London, Bordeaux, Cannes, Paris, Summit, New Jersey- don’t ask- and New York. I liked Cannes the best but I haven’t been there in a long time.” 

“What year were you born?”

“That’s not polite, Andrea.” Miranda smirked. 

Andy laughed, “I’m sure you look really great for your age.”

“Regardless.” Miranda pursed her lips. 

“Did you meet any cool people?”

“Miranda Priestly has met a lot of _cool_ people. You should read her biography sometime.” Miranda hid a playfully coy smile. 

“You put me on a 6 hour plane ride without letting me get my laptop, a book, an iPod, Sudoku, nothing and you’re not at least going to entertain me?” Miranda looked up at Andy who batted her eyelashes.

Miranda couldn’t help but smile a little. 

“You mean to tell me that I’m not the only one who can manipulate people?” Miranda let herself smile. 

“Damn straight.” Andy grinned. Her heart did flips when she saw Miranda smile. “We can do question for question and I promise I won’t ask how old you are.”

“Alright. You ask first since it’s your game.”

Andy thought for a moment and touched her stomach, “what’s it like to be pregnant?”

“Well,” Miranda paused in thought, “it’s kind of the best and worst thing in the world because you know you have this little thing inside you that you’re going to love unconditionally for the rest of your life. But you can’t have coffee, you have to be hyperconscious of everything you put in your body, you have to make sure you get enough vitamins every day. You have violent mood swings, you gain a lot of weight, things taste differently, you bloat, you cry, you throw things. I’m actually pretty glad I don’t have to do it again.” 

“Thanks…” 

“No. I mean, pregnancy is so rewarding. You go through these months of feeling fat and unattractive and then all of a sudden it doesn’t matter anymore because you hold this little baby in your arms and it’s the most beautiful thing you’ve _ever_ seen. Everything is worth it because you’re completely overcome with love.”

Andy smiled, “it’s really lovely to hear you talk like this. It… I don’t know, it warms my heart.”

Miranda blushed a little under her Sephora mineral foundation. “Well, I don’t know about all that but it’s my turn to ask a question. Tell me about your lady friend.”

“Huh?”

“The one with whom you had sexual relations last month.”

“Oh.” Andy blushed, “well, her name is Natalia, I don’t know her very well. Well, you know, not like I sleep around or anything. My friend Doug fixed me up with her.”

“And your friends routinely set you up?”

“Doug just wanted me to go out on a date because he thinks I’m completely hung up on- well, you know. She was nice enough but she was more Doug’s sort of person than mine.”

“But you slept with her anyway?” Miranda was amused. 

“I think technically you’ve asked three questions and its my turn now.” Andy was desperate to change the subject, “who was your greatest love?”

“My greatest love…” Miranda had to think. She had loved a lot of people in 139 years. “I think my greatest love was London Theatre, I know you said who but I ran a theatre and my heart belonged to it fully. I was married at the time to William Wright and he had inherited the theatre and he let me run it however I wanted. He died very young, though, he had tuberculosis.”

“I’m sorry.” 

Miranda shrugged, “he was a very good man, he treated me like his equal and never once talked down to me. Men like that were hard to find in those days. I wasn’t with another man for many years after that. I did open a brothel though.” 

“You don’t say. I can’t imagine Miranda Priestly running a brothel.” Andy giggled. 

“You can’t?” Miranda raised an eyebrow. “You have a hard time imagining me exploiting skinny pretty women to turn a profit?” 

Andy laughed, “alright, alright. Fair enough.”

“And that didn’t count as my question, by the way.” Miranda said, “my question is who are you hung up on and why?”

“That’s two questions.”

“It’s a two _part_ question it’s not actually two questions.” Miranda smiled.

“I’m hung up on her because she’s beautiful and amazing and she’s completely unattainable which always makes someone _that_ much more attractive. I can’t tell you who it is.”

“I’ll tell you how old I am if you tell me who you’re hung up on.” 

Andy thought about it. “I think I could probably figure your age out myself.”

“In all honestly, I’m just being nice. I could get you to tell me her name and I wouldn’t even have to bribe you for it.” 

Andy grinned playfully, “what’s it to you?”

Miranda looked to the window, she didn’t have a very good answer to that. Perhaps she was a little jealous. She wanted her employees completely focused on her, of course, but it was different. It wasn’t the same. 

She looked back at Andy. “Maybe I care because I want to know what the competition is. Hypothetically.” 

Andy stared at Miranda with her mouth open for a few minutes. She couldn’t believe her own ears, she felt that she must have misheard. Perhaps her hormones were screwing with her neurological functions.

“Could you repeat that?”

Miranda bit the inside of her lip and questioned whether repeating it was a good idea or not. If it blew up in her face she imagined it would be easy enough to play it off as a work thing, that she didn’t want her to be too distracted at work. It sounded pathetic to even think. She decided to just repeat it since she’s already said it once. “Maybe I’m a little jealous.” 

Andy felt like she’d just been hit with a ton of bricks. It was simply unbelievable. Miranda fucking Priestly just basically told her she wanted to get down and dirty with her. She wanted to hit the sheets, she wanted to do the horizontal tango, the beast with two backs… with her! 

_Alright Sachs, get a hold of yourself, reel it in a little bit. Play it cool_. “Well, I don’t really know her name because she told me the other day that she’s _not_ Miranda Priestly.” 

Miranda smiled shyly. “Well, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. I don’t think it really matters what you call me.” 

“Oh, you say that, but I could come up with a lot of things that I’m sure you wouldn’t like to be called.” 

“Aye, but let’s not test that theory, hm?” Miranda took Andy’s hand in her own. 

“Miranda, one more question?”

“Yes?”

“Will you still tell me how old you are?” Andy squeezed her hand.


	11. Chapter 11

Ah the topic of age. Something no woman wants to talk about. Be they 30 or 130, they’d really rather forget. It had been one thing in London when she was sharing her bed and her life with Betty Townsend, the lead actress in most of her plays. At the time she was approximately the same age. It was even another thing with all of her husbands and Pierrette Ardant because, even if she was much older at the time, Pierrette thought she was the same age. 

Andy and Miranda came from wildly different backgrounds. The age difference had seemed moot in the past because she shared other things with her suitors. Like life situation, she and Betty were both widows, she shared cultural roots, she shared a language, she shared a time period. The biggest technological advancements since Miranda was born was the car and the airplane. Andy’s were iPods and camera phones. 

When their plane landed Miranda brought them to a small hotel in London. “We can go out and get you new clothes in a bit. I’m going to shower.” 

“Okay.” Andy sat down on the bed. Priestly jumped up onto the bed and settled onto her lap. “Shall we watch TV?”

She heard the shower turn on and she sighed. Miranda had been categorically ignoring her, save for a few instructions. It was a lot like working for her actually. Andy imagined that Miranda took very long showers. 

Andy and Priestly had watched three britcoms before the water turned off. Andy smiled affectionately. 

“We shouldn’t use our names.” Miranda said from the bathroom, “and we can’t stay too long in any one place since Christian knows basically everything. He’s probably on his way here already.” 

“I’m sorry about that.” 

“I don’t blame you,” _much_ “evil is very persuasive and I’m just choosing to believe you were powerless against him.”

“So do we have a cover story?” She didn’t want to talk about Christian or almost getting herself killed. 

“I was thinking sisters perhaps.” 

Andy couldn’t help but laugh a little. “I’m sorry Miranda, but I don’t think we could pass for sisters.”

Miranda stepped out of the bathroom, “you don’t think so, do you?” 

Andy was stunned. She looked so different. Her hair was dark and wavy and down to her shoulders, she looked 30 years younger. “Wow, Miranda… how did you do that? That’s amazing.”

“I can manipulate my appearance.” She shrugged, “I have to get new contact lenses. I was thinking brown.” 

“Miranda, I think you’re beautiful. Not just like this, I mean, you are beautiful like this, but I think I prefer the other Miranda.” 

“It’s a moot point.” Miranda shrugged. “Though I think I agree with you. I’ve always had a thing for older women.”

“Me too.” Andy smiled. “Is it cool if I shower now?”

“Be my guest.” Miranda waved noncommittally toward the bathroom. She sat down on the other bed and looked distracted. She pulled her blackberry out of her pocket and turned it over in her hand a couple of times. “I need new contacts.” 

Andy hovered in the doorway of the bathroom, unsure if Miranda was talking to herself or to Andy.

She started to browse the internet looking for a local dealer. “I’m thinking green this time. Maybe a honey brown.” 

“I think they both sound beautiful.” Andy said softly.

Miranda sighed and turned around and looked at her. Andy offered her a small smile before she disappeared into the bathroom. As she stepped into the shower and let the water slide over her body she thought about Miranda, how she’d been standing here only minutes before. 

This was disruptive to her life, of course, but she was traipsing around London with her boss, so her job wasn’t in danger and she wasn’t seeing anyone and her friends didn’t like hanging out with Runway! Andy as they had taken to calling her. To top it all off, her apartment was a shithole. She hadn’t really left much behind.

Miranda had to leave an empire. She had to leave her girls. She felt an irrational guilt at being the reason Miranda had to leave. 

When Andy finished her shower she found Miranda laying on the bed looking through the pictures of the twins in her Blackberry. Andy sat down next to her and rested her chin on her shoulder. “I shouldn’t actually keep the phone on in case Christian can triangulate it. I’ll obtain another one so the girls can still contact me.” 

Christian had found the Mercedes in the parking lot of the airport. That had been the easy part but he stood looking at the departures and arrivals board and couldn’t even fathom where they went. 

He was about to throw his phone in anger when it rang. The number was restricted, he accepted the call anyway. “What?” He snapped into it.

“This is Emily Charlton.”

“What do you want?” He snarled.

“You want to know where Miranda is.” Emily said and cut off any questions from Christian by continuing. “And I can find her for you if you take me with you.”

“You can find her?” His skepticism was obvious in his tone.

“Yes, I can. First of all, she’d have gone to Europe. No more hints until you agree to take me with you.” She insisted.

He sighed heavily, considering his options. “And how is it exactly you have this information?”

“Miranda’s business is my business.”


	12. Chapter 12

Christian scowled when Emily entered the airport with her suitcase in tow. “You don’t travel light, do you?”

“Don’t criticize or I won’t help.”

“What exactly do you know about what’s going on?” Christian watched her with scrutiny, unable to believe that her motives were pure. “And what do you think you gain from helping me?”

“Yeah, let’s stand around the airport talking when we’re wasting time.” 

He sighed exasperatedly, “fine. You say she went to Europe, I think Paris.”

“No.” Emily said simply, “rookie mistake. She’ll have gone to England. The next flight to London isn’t until tomorrow but we can catch a flight to Ireland and get over there rather than wait for London.”

“You’re sure about all of this?”

“I’m British!” Emily rolled her eyes at him, thinking he was the most daft man she’d ever encountered. “I think I know how long it takes to get from Ireland to London.”

“Look.” He said, taking her by the elbow, “I’m not taking you with me until you tell me what you know.”

“And give you the ace up my sleeve? I think not.” Emily said in a low voice, not at all intimidated by Christian. “I will tell you, though, I know that the fiery depths of hell are whence you come. You and I are both looking for Miranda, so I’m doing you a favor.”

“Why are you looking for Miranda? And how do you know where I came from?” 

“Yeah. Let’s waste time. Let’s just let the plane leave without us.” Emily rolled her eyes, “you know I can find Miranda better than anybody else. To be her assistant I had to get into her head, I know of what I speak. Get us onto that plane!” 

Andy couldn’t keep her eyes off Miranda. The transformation was astounding. Of course she still had Miranda’s sharply defined roman nose and high cheekbones, but the dark wavy hair and honey brown eyes were somewhat off putting. When Miranda would go into the other room or into the hallway and come back, Andy would have a moment of panic before she remembered it was Miranda. 

“We should move soon.” Miranda said finally, bringing a bucket of ice into the room.

“We’ve only been here for a few days.” Andy said with a little concern.

“I know,” Miranda shoved the bottle of orange juice down into the ice to chill it, “but I used my cell phone here. I don’t think it’s entirely safe to stay here. We can stay longer at the next place, I promise.” 

“Where are we going?”

“I was thinking we could go across the channel and stay in Calais for a few days. We can go down further into France if you’d like, we could to Belgium or Luxembourg and Germany’s just a hop skip and a jump. I haven’t been there since the fall of the Berlin wall and it might be nice.” 

“Well, I’ve never been to Europe. I went to Canada once, Toronto, but my travelling is pretty limited. You’d have a better idea than I would where would be good.” Andy admitted. 

“You should eat something.” 

“I’m not hungry.” Andy shook her head. 

“I’m telling you as a friend, an angel and a mother that you have to eat something.” Miranda said with her hand on her hip. “You need a lot of calcium and vitamin C, we have to make sure you get enough iron and carbohydrates.”

“I just don’t really feel very hungry.” 

“Are you still nauseous?” Miranda reached out and touched Andy’s hair. Andy exhaled slowly, the gesture was the sweetest, most affectionate gesture she’d ever experienced. 

Andy shook her head slowly, “no.” She turned around to face Miranda. She reached out slowly and cupped her cheeks. “Miranda, we haven’t really talked since the plane.” 

“Of course we have.” Miranda replied, though she knew what Andy meant. 

Andy sighed, “Miranda, talk to me. Tell me what you’re thinking. I don’t want to hear travel plans, I don’t want to hear about the diet plan I should be on. Tell me how you feel.” 

“I feel…” Miranda started with a slow exhalation. “I feel a little angry, confused, betrayed. I don’t know. I’ve always known I was an angel but my mother never told me I would have to do anything. I’m angry because God gave me my children and now they’re in harm’s way and that’s because of me but I had to send them away to keep them safe and I miss them so much.” 

“And confused? Why do you feel confused?”

Miranda stood up and walked away.

“Stop that.” Andy stood too, her eyes welling up. “Stop walking away from me, I don’t deserve that. I know you’re away from the girls and I can’t even imagine how hard that is for you and I have a lot of sympathy for that but this is pretty fucking disruptive to my life too. At least look me in the face and tell me the truth.”

“The truth about what?” Miranda turned and furrowed her brow in annoyance, “I’ve been completely truthful with you.”

“Have you really?” Andy rolled her eyes, wiping at the tears. “Because on the plane you admitted that you were jealous of my being interested in someone and I admitted that it’s you I’m hung up on and you won’t talk about it.”

“I am jealous at the thought that you could be with someone else.” She started slowly, running her fingers through her hair, “but we are so different. We grew up in different times, in different places, we want different things out of life. There are a thousand reasons why we shouldn’t be together.”

“One.”

“What?”

“One. There can be a thousand reasons not to but you only need one reason to try.” Andy walked up to Miranda and looked into her eyes. “And I have one.”

“Is that so?” Miranda whispered, “what’s that?”

“Because I want to.” Andy cupped her cheeks, her lips hovered centimeters away from Miranda’s, “because you want to.” 

“That’s two reasons.” Miranda bit her lip, biting back a small smile.

“It’s a two _part_ reason.” Andy slipped her hands into Miranda’s thick dark hair, she leaned her head against Miranda’s. Miranda’s arms wrapped around Andy’s waist, holding her close. 

Miranda’s eyes fluttered shut and she let out a soft breath. 

“Is it a religion thing?” Andy asked softly, massaging her scalp gently.

Miranda shook her head, “no.” 

“What is it?” Andy nudged Miranda’s nose with her own, “tell me.” 

A tear fell down Miranda’s cheek. “I can’t take anymore heartbreak.” She admitted. “My angel’s heart is capable of infinite and undying love and I can’t take anymore heartbreak.”

“I won’t.” Andy whispered. “I want this so badly.”

“You can’t promise me that.” Miranda shook her head a little, “no one can promise that. If anything happens to you…”

“You’re my protector, aren’t you? I trust you.” 

Miranda reached up and took Andy’s face in her hands, “you’re so beautiful, Andrea, you have the purest heart I’ve ever known.”

“All the more reason I should be with an angel, right?” She laughed a little, she reached up and wiped the tears off Miranda’s cheeks. 

“I don’t want to fall in love with you.” Miranda closed her eyes. “I don’t even want to take that risk.”

“I think you took that risk the moment you hired me.” Andy whispered, her lips brushing against Miranda’s ear.

Miranda squeezed her eyes shut even more tightly, tears fell down her cheeks. “I don’t understand my life anymore. I had control of anything and everything that I desired to. I had complete and utter control. Until you came along. I feel like I’ve been spiraling out of control ever since and I also feel like that’s okay. I feel like you could catch me. That scares me.”

“I promise to hold you when you’re scared.” Andy whispered with a smile, “I promise to hold you and do my absolute very best to protect your heart because it happens to mean a great deal to me.” 

Miranda took one of Andy’s hands and laid it over her heart. Andy’s eyes widened in fascination. “It beats so fast.” 

“Three times as fast as yours.” Miranda breathed, “it needs three times the amount of protecting. Can you do that?” 

Andy smiled, “I know in my heart that you will do anything and everything you can to protect my corporeal being and I would hope that you have the same faith in me to protect your heart.” 

“Faith.” Miranda laughed a little, “you talk to an angel about faith. Ironically, I’ve always grappled with the idea of faith. I don’t have to have faith to believe in God because I know it to be true, I don’t need faith. In people I have found it very difficult to have faith sometimes.”

“Ditto. I don’t have a whole lot of faith in people but I have faith in you and I’m only asking you to have faith in _me_. My well-being is in your hands and I would not jeopardize that for something frivolous or something that I didn’t… _know_ I want with my whole _pure_ heart.”

Miranda cupped Andy’s cheeks and leaned up and kissed her forehead. “Would it be entirely offensive if I gave it a little thought?” 

Andy shook her head slowly and smiled, “not at all. I have faith in you.”


	13. Chapter 13

Emily walked behind Christian through the airport typing wildly on her full qwerty cell phone. He turned around and scowled at her, “who are you texting?”

“None of your bloody business.” 

“Look, if we’re going to work together you need to start leveling with me.” Christian set his arms across his chest. 

“We’re not working together. I said I’d help you.” She pressed a few more buttons and put her cell phone away. “But we’re hardly working together.” 

“What’s your stake in all this?”

“I need to find Miranda, you need to find Andy. You need my knowledge of Miranda and I need your mind-bending abilities.” 

“How did you know about me?”

“Miranda told me.” Emily lied. Christian watched her, unsure about whether to believe her or not. “I’m her first assistant and I’ve helped her clean up a lot of messes in regards to her being an angel and so naturally when she had to run off with Andy she told me that it was you she was running from and that you’re a demon.” 

“She just _told_ you, did she?”

“Yes.” Emily dared him to disbelieve her. 

“What do you want Miranda for?” 

“None of your bloody business.” 

Andy and Miranda sat in their private compartment on the train as it rattled over the uneven terrain. Andy sat with a tray of food on her lap which she ate at Miranda’s behest. Her appetite hadn’t completely returned, stress made her stomach churn, but the foods that Miranda had amassed for her were too good to let stress get the better of her. 

Miranda was reading a newspaper and Priestly slept at her feet. Andy looked out the window at the passing countryside. “So, we’re taking the train across the channel?”

“Under the channel.” Miranda looked up and smiled, “there were ideas for a tunnel connecting Britain to France as early as 1802 and it was only started in 1988 and opened in 1994. When I think of all the times I crossed the channel by boat…”

Andy smiled adoringly at Miranda’s enthusiasm. “We’re going to Calais?” 

“Coquelles is actually where it comes out but I want to go to Calais.” Miranda said, “the food there is fantastic.”

“Oh, so that’s why you skipped lunch.” Andy grinned. 

Emily and Christian walked into the thirteenth hotel in London. Christian tiredly presented the picture of Andy, “have you seen this woman? She’s travelling with another woman who may have white hair.”

“Um,” the receptionist readjusted her glasses, “there was an older woman with white hair who checked herself and a shier looking woman in for a few days. You know, it’s an odd thing because after that I didn’t see the white haired woman again, the shier one left with a brunette who looked about 20.” 

“Did they say where they were going?”

“Fraid not.” The receptionist offered them an apologetic smile. 

“Thanks.” Christian couldn’t hide his annoyance. He looked to Emily as they left the room, “where to now?” 

“France.” Emily said, “probably not Paris, that’s too easy. Perhaps Cannes, she has a special fondness for Cannes.”

Christian sighed impatiently, “why Cannes? Why not Paris?”

“That is far too predictable.” Emily replied haughtily and flipped her hair back over her shoulder, putting on her Fendi sunglasses as they stepped out into the street. The day was overcast but Emily felt naked without her sunglasses. “She has used Cannes as a photo shoot location a grand total of five times. For Miranda that is a big deal.” 

Christian growled, “how long is it going to take to get to Cannes?”

“By what method of transportation?” Emily rolled her eyes, “you really are big girl’s blouse, aren’t you? By plane maybe three hours, non stop, by car 14 hours and by train I have no idea.”

“To the airport then.” 

“No.” Emily protested, “I want to spend the night here. We were just on a plane for six hours.”

“I’ll go without you.” He shrugged, starting to walk down the street, “that’s not a problem for me at all. If you’re right, I’ll find them there.”

Emily crossed her arms across her chest, “and if I’m wrong, you’re _fucked_.”

He sighed and walked back towards the hotel that they’d just exited, “fine.”

“And I want my own room.”


	14. Chapter 14

Miranda and Andy were seated in a corner booth at a quaint little restaurant in Calais. Andy stared in amazement as waiters walked by with plates piled high with delectable fancies.

“Miranda,” Andy bit her lip, “I don’t really understand the menu. I took Spanish in college.”

“Don’t worry, I’m fluent.” Miranda said from behind her menu. “What would you like?”

“Swordfish.”

“Nay, swordfish has too much mercury. How about lobster?” Miranda looked at her over the top of the menu.

Andy grinned, “lobster sounds great. It’s not too expensive?”

Miranda rolled her eyes, “Andrea, I have told you every day since we’ve been in Europe that price isn’t an issue.” 

The waiter approached, “bonjour Mesdames, bienvenu, qu’est-ce qu’on veux aujourd’hui ?”

“Nous voulons deux langoustines.” Miranda looked down the menu again, “des légumes du jour. La fille aura un jus d’orange et je voudrais un verre de Chablis la Chablisienne.”

“Excellente, Madame.” The waiter smiled and departed. 

“I ordered you an orange juice.” Miranda announced. 

“I figured, I did hear orange in there and I heard Chablis and I must admit that I’m a little jealous.” Andy smiled. 

“When we return to New York and after you have given birth and finished nursing I will buy you a case of French wine.” 

“That could be more than a year from now,” Andy mused, “you don’t think you’ll be sick of me before then?” 

“Doubtfully.” Miranda smirked, breaking off a piece of bread and slipping it to Priestly under the table. 

“You said I choose where we go next?”

Miranda nodded, “I think we should keep on the move and I think having no particular rhyme or reason to the travelling would be the best plan of action.” She said then added, “so you can pick everywhere you’ve ever heard of.” 

“Well, I’d really love to see Paris, is that okay?” 

“I think that sounds lovely, Andrea.” Miranda smiled, “we could take the train after we eat, it’s only an hour’s travel. We could spend the evening there and then find someplace to sleep.”

Emily sat on the bed in her hotel room. Christian had gone out for food and she had begged out of it. She dialed the familiar number on her cell phone and waited. “It’s Emily. I’m in London. It’s Miranda, it’s definitely Miranda.”

She stood up and went into the bathroom, she turned the water on to create background noise in an attempt to drown her conversation out from prying ears. She listened, “no, she didn’t reveal herself to me, of course. But Christian is definitely the demon and he’s looking for her.” 

There was silence in the room as she listened. “It’s definitely Miranda, it all makes sense. I am very sure of this. You trained me well.” 

Emily turned the shower on too, “I’m in London. She was here, we found a receptionist who remembered seeing them.” She waited, “we’re leaving tomorrow, can you get it here tonight or by morning?” 

Emily chewed on her manicured thumbnail. “No, I understand that.” She waited, “yeah, we’re travelling to Cannes next. I’ll keep him there as long as I need to to get the package.” 

Emily slipped her shoe off and stuck her foot under the stream of the shower. “I don’t know what he thinks. Hell, I don’t even know _if_ he thinks. Hell could scarcely have spat out a wetter, thicker demon. He’s a complete moron and I have him wrapped around my little finger.” 

There was a longer pause, “no, I think I can slip away from him to get it. Where will you have it delivered to?” Pause, “yeah, that sounds good. Box 1013, I’ve got it.” 

She closed the phone, shut off all the water and went back out into the room. There was a knock on the door. “Hey Charlton, open the door.”

Emily rolled her eyes, tucked her phone back into her suitcase. She opened the door, “what do you want?”

“Let’s table the hostility for a bit, I brought you some dinner.” He held up a paper bag with grease spots and in his other hand he held a bottle of wine. “And a little bubbly.”

She shrugged and held back a sigh, letting him into the room. “I think technically only Champagne counts as bubbly.”

“Why?”

“Because it _bubbles_.” Emily muttered as she cleared a spot on the table in the corner of the room, “what did you get?”

“Fish and chips.” He declared with a grin, “I’ve always wanted to have legitimate English fish and chips, figured you’d remember them from your childhood and the like.”

Emily popped one of the fries into her mouth. “I remember them from my childhood obesity.” Emily ate another one, “I admit, they are a bit of a weakness.” 

“So the great and powerful Emily Charlton admits to having a weakness.” He grinned.

“I maintain,” she said with a mouthful of french fry, “if you’re hitting on me I will mace you.” 

Andy watched the skyline with amazement as Miranda led the way through the streets. Priestly kept up easily, pulling up the rear, sandwiching Andy between the two of them, like a very protective sandwich. Andy was not worried at that moment as she looked up at the monuments in the most romantic, beautiful city on Earth. 

Miranda stopped and Andy ran into her. Miranda grunted and furrowed her brow, turning to look at Andy who looked away in embarrassment, though secretly she smiled. At least some things never change. She could swear she wasn’t Miranda until she was blue in the face but some things never changed. 

Priestly looked alert and anxious. 

“At ease, dog.” Miranda said, “I stopped because I wanted Andrea to see something.”

“What’s that?” Andy smiled.

Miranda stepped behind her, took her shoulders in her hands familiarly and pointed her in the correct direction, “there’s the Eiffel tower.” Andy’s eyes lit up, “at night it glistens, they covered it in lights.” 

“It’s breathtaking.” Andy said softly.

Miranda set her chin on Andy’s shoulder. “We’ve a bit of walking to do before we get there but I wanted you to see it in the daylight first.” 

“It’s even more magnificent than I thought it would be.” Andy smiled, she turned around and threw her arms around Miranda’s neck, “thank you for bringing me here. I know that it wasn’t the best circumstances that brought us here but I’m still happy.” 

“You really are the epitome of enthusiasm, aren’t you?” Miranda smiled.

“Perhaps after a bit more living I’ll be a little bit less enthusiastic, cynical even.”

“I hope not. I’d sooner sacrifice myself than see your light go out.” Miranda sighed. 

“Miranda, you’ve gone soft on me.” Andy smiled and pushed Miranda’s hair behind her ears. “You know, I think I kind of like it.”

“Only kind of?”

“A lot more than kind of.” Andy breathed, wanting nothing more than to kiss Miranda, but respecting Miranda’s request of time to think. She swore to herself she’d let Miranda decide when to kiss. 

Their lips were scarcely an inch apart but Miranda was steadfastly resisting, she still had her reservations. Andrea was so green and Miranda felt so jaded but clearly the girl didn’t understand what a romance meant to her. That all others must perish, that she alone must survive for all of time. As much as she loved her life, she sometimes felt that allowing her to live on Earth was the cruelest thing that God could have done for her.

She honestly wanted nothing more than to embrace Andrea, to protect her goodness, to fan the flame that kept the light in her heart. She wanted to kiss her and hold her, she wanted to love her. Briefly, she thought she may already love her, but she tried to hush the notion. 

Miranda set her forehead against Andrea’s. “Shall we continue on?”

“I’d like nothing more.” Andy whispered. She understood what Miranda had meant but didn’t want to let the opportunity slip by that she wanted to continue on with their dance as well. 

By the time they reached the tower dusk was just ending and the sunlight had disappeared completely. The lights on the tower were beautiful, casting the artificial light down upon the few people that were around. 

Miranda stood back with Priestly and watched Andy stare fascinatedly up at the tower. Miranda watched the twinkling lights dance across Andy’s eager face. Miranda crossed her arms across her chest and cast her eyes downward. 

Soft music started to play somewhere nearby and Andy’s face brightened. “Miranda, dance with me.” 

Miranda offered an apologetic smile, “I have two left feet, I’m afraid.”

“I’ll lead,” Andy smiled, holding out her arms to Miranda, “please? Indulge me?”

Miranda rolled her eyes playfully, trying to bite back her amused smile. She reached out and took her hand. Andy pulled her to her and Miranda yelped a laugh and blushed as Andy grinned and held her close. 

Miranda’s arms wrapped around her neck. “Where’d you learn to dance?”

“I’m just kind of winging it actually, is it any good?” Andy grinned even more widely.

“Actually yes,” Miranda indulged Andy, letting her spin her and pulling her back against her warm body. “Better than most of my husbands for sure.” 

“I’d like the opportunity to really put that theory to the test.” Andy whispered. “I know I said I’d let you think on it and I’m not pressuring you, I just wanted to make sure you were reminded of my position on the matter.” 

“I’m well aware of your position on the matter, Andrea.” Miranda stifled a smile. “The initial conversation was only yesterday. I am rather old but I’m not senile.” 

“Didn’t mean to suggest that you were.” Andy spun her again, “this music is beautiful, isn’t it? What’s your favorite music, Miranda?”

The first thing that sprung to her mind was ABBA but that was hardly an answer befitting a woman, _an angel_ , like Miranda. She blushed and said, “Mozart.”

Andy grinned unabashedly, “you’re lying.” Andy gave Miranda a squeeze, “I won’t prod you for the real answer though. I’ll just admit that I’ve always loved the Beastie Boys.” 

Miranda laughed a little, “I’ve tried to avoid popular music but the girls do make it difficult. They’re blasting their music all afternoon and they’re constantly plugged in to their iPods, they sleep with the silly things on.”

“I used to sleep with my tapes on.” Andy shrugged a little, and then said, batting her eyelashes, “I’m a little cold.”

Miranda suppressed a grin as she tightened her hold on Andy, “you’re shameless, simply shameless. Cheeky American girl.”

Andy leaned her cheek against Miranda’s, “ah yes, we modern American girls are extremely lascivious.” 

Miranda smiled and sighed contentedly, “lascivious, are you?”

“ _Extremely_.”

“I think this is the most straightforwardly I’ve ever been propositioned.” Miranda whispered.

“Then no one else has done it right,” she smiled as she nuzzled Miranda’s ear.

Miranda sighed contentedly again and ran her fingers through Andy’s hair and gently massaged her scalp. She pulled her cheek away from Andy’s and looked into her eyes. “Do you know what this means, Andrea?” 

“Sure I do.”

“I don’t think you really do.” Miranda looked sad and pensive for a moment, “there’s no turning back. Not for me. I’ve told you that I don’t think I can take any more heartbreak. I am not mortal.”

“I know that. I know that I’m going to grow old and die and you could look like this forever if you wanted to.” Andy smiled a little, “I know that whatever decisions you make you will have to live with for a very long time.”

“Yes…” Miranda thought for a moment. 

“I know that you want this as badly as I do.”

Miranda sighed. The girl spoke the truth, perhaps it was an understatement, perhaps she wanted it even more than Andrea herself. 

“And I think that then begs the question of which heartbreak would be worst: taking a chance on me, being disgustingly happy and then having to say goodbye to me on my deathbed or spending the rest of your _endless_ days regretting that you never took the risk and then being just as sad when you say goodbye to me on my deathbed?”

Miranda took in a breath sharply. “You are wise beyond your years.”

“Working for you has aged me considerably.” Andy nodded cheekily.

“I do believe that I am completely out of arguments.” Miranda smiled a little, “I bow to the shrewder deal maker.”

“Yes, we can get around the bowing later,” Andy ran her fingers along Miranda’s jawline and cupped her cheek. “For now, let’s start with a kiss.”

“A kiss.” Miranda smiled.

“I can hardly think of a more romantic place than here under the Eiffel tower, can you?” Andy stroked Miranda’s high cheekbone with her thumb.

Miranda shook her head. She glanced down to her lips and took a deep breath. She had thought so long about the feel of Andrea’s full lips pressed firmly and intimately into hers, she had fantasized about the feel of the girl’s supple skin underneath her sensitive fingertips. Now, as she was faced with reality, she felt school girlishly self-conscious.

Miranda slipped her fingers into Andy’s hair and tilted her head back gently. She leaned down towards her and ran her nose along Andy’s jawline and across her cheek. Andy let out a soft breath of anticipation. Her eyes fluttered shut and her lips parted invitingly for Miranda. 

Miranda ran her thumb over Andy’s bottom lip before leaning in and pressing her lips to Andy’s. 

Andy used her hold on Miranda’s hips to hold her body tightly against her own, their hipbones pressing hard into each other’s, their stomachs grazing and their breasts pushed together.

Miranda moaned softly into the kiss, allowing herself to get lost in the moment, to become intoxicated by the way Andy felt and tasted. She was surrendering to the touch and sensations that coursed through her as Andy took the lead in the kiss. 

After a few long moments they broke apart reluctantly, needing to breathe. Andy leaned her forehead against Miranda’s and ran her hands up her back, sporting an ear to ear grin. 

Miranda blushed at Andy’s expression and closed her eyes. She groaned softly, pulling her closer again and taking Andy’s bottom lip into her mouth. When she released it, she admitted breathlessly, “I think it’s been far too long since I’ve given into passion.” 

“Well,” Andy clung to Miranda, capturing her lips again. “We’ll fix that.”


	15. Chapter 15

_The majority of Miranda’s relationships had been long ones, it was only in the more recent years as Miranda that she had shorter relationships. She had picked Miranda’s husbands for the wrong reasons. She had picked them because they made_ sense _\-- on paper._

_When she was young she didn’t waste her time on matters of the heart, she chose instead to learn and to educate herself. When she learned of her patronage and moved to London she met William Wright. At first he didn’t make a huge impression on her but he told her that he had fallen in love with her the first moment he saw her. They crossed paths several times over the course of a month and finally, at a party thrown by a mutual friend he’d approached her._

_“Your hand looked very empty, my lady,” he bowed a little and offered her a glass of wine._

_She accepted the wine and sipped it. She recognized him of course, he had kind eyes._

_“Miriam, yes?”_

_“Before you continue,_ sir _, I have no desire to be taken care of, I do not wish to be a_ housewife _and I refuse to cook supper.” She swirled the wine in the glass and took another sip, “I am quite adamant about all of the aforementioned.”_

_“Thank goodness.” William grinned. “I was half afraid you’d turn out to be one of those dotty women who just wanted to get married and be subservient for the rest of her days.”_

_Miranda watched him curiously. “And your name, sir?”_

_“William Wright, ma’am.” He bowed again. “I would like very much if you would do me the honor of taking a walk with me.”_

_She smirked, “I believe my schedule allows.”_

_Three months later at the age of 18 and ¾ she wed William Wright. He joked with her that no other name but Wright suited her so well because, of course, she was always right._

_Their marriage was a little over 10 years and came to an abrupt end when William contracted tuburculosis. He’d left her with a small fortune and a good deal of real estate, including a London theatre._

_She had been running the theatre for the previous 8 years and had grown especially close to the actress who customarily played the lead in her plays, Betty Townsend. She was also a widow and they took solace in each other, a friendship of mutual dependency which evolved into a beautiful love affair._

_She and Betty shared their lives for nearly 20 years. Betty was older than she by 10 years and in her 50s died from pneumonia. She lay next to Miranda in bed and Miranda watched the life drain from her body. Miranda was similarly infected and she watched her lover through glazed eyes and prayed for the mercy of death. She squeezed Betty’s hand as hard as she possibly could as though the extra pressure could give her more strength, perhaps it was to try to feel Betty’s love one final time._

_At last she gave a gasp as her chest couldn’t take the illness any longer and she felt her soul leave her body and she was at peace. She smiled serenely as she floated upwards. She could intuit everything that was happening on earth, she could see and understand everything for a split second before her eyes sprung open and she sat bolt upright in bed, her fever had broken and her body had returned to health._

_Tears sprung to her eyes as she pulled her knees to her chest. She looked over at her dead lover and cursed God for not taking her too. She held her face in her hands all night and cried straight through until morning._

_The next day she sold the theatre and all of her property and took the train to France and changed her name to Carlotta. Her next love was Pierrette and she met her demise at the hands of the nazis because of her part in the underground resistance. Then Lucie Follet left her because she was pregnant and wanted to get married. Miranda resented the child hugely. Her last lover as Carlotta was an English Lieutenant named James Leonard. He had kind eyes too._

_Then as Miranda? Dear God, there were nearly too many to count. Lucas, Mark, Adam, Todd, Stephen, Marcilla, Stephanie. The longest of those relationships had been 5 years._

_Now here they were. She and Andrea walking through the streets of Paris…_


	16. Chapter 16

The streets were still bustling even though night had fallen. Andy’s fingers were threaded through Miranda’s possessively. She never wanted to let her go, she wanted to touch her and feel her forever. 

“Have you been with a woman before?” Andy mused out loud, looking over at Miranda.

Miranda snorted an indignant laugh, “I had my first tryst with a woman before your _grandmother_ was even a twinkle in the milkman’s eye.”

Andy laughed, “my grandfather actually was a milkman.” 

“Your grasp on irony is refreshing.” Miranda smiled letting go of her hand to wrap an arm around her waist. 

“Where are we staying tonight? You seem to know exactly where you’re headed.”

“It is a surprise, Andrea.” Miranda smirked coyly as she turned them down another road. “I think you’ll be pleased.” 

Andy grinned, “I hope you mean that as a double entendre.” 

“Do you think of nothing but sex?” Miranda laughed.

“My hormones are all over the place.” Andy smiled, “for the last week I would have been happy to have sex every waking minute. You like sex, don’t you?” 

“Of course, I do.” Miranda said defensively, “I love sex. It just all sort of becomes the same eventually.” 

“So I have to be particularly exceptional to impress you, hm?”

“I would be surprised if I gave you the impression that I’d accept anything less.” Miranda said coyly, “in my employees and in my lovers there is no room for mediocrity.” 

Andy grinned, “I don’t tolerate mediocrity either.”

“Clearly,” Miranda snorted, “you had to look outside your species to find a proper lover, I would say you have very high standards.”

“Are you… anatomically the same as me?” 

“Not if you cracked me open but for all intents and purposes, yes.” Miranda gave Andy a squeeze. “Close your eyes.”

“Why?” 

“Because I’m going to push you in the Seine, just do it.” Miranda walked around behind her and put her hands over Andy’s eyes. “Just keep walking forward.”

“Miranda, this is ridiculous.” Andy giggled as Miranda helped her walk the last half block. 

“ _You’re_ ridiculous, be quiet.” She squared her shoulders in front of a building and said, “okay, you can look now.” 

Andy looked up, “no way. It’s the Ritz!”

“I met Coco Chanel in the lift here.”

“Coco Chanel let you ride the elevator with you. Did she let you speak to her?” 

“She was awe-inspiring, Andrea.” Miranda started explaining as they entered the magnificent building. Miranda walked up to the reception desk and requested a room. 

“Uh, madame, we do not allow dogs.” The receptionist leaned over the desk and turned her nose up at Priestly.

Miranda leaned down and picked the dog up. “Dog? This isn’t a dog, this is a fur purse. Don’t be embarrassed though, everyone makes that mistake.” 

“Oh, so it is.” The receptionist blushed, “I’m sorry, madame. We serve breakfast at 8 if you are interested.”

“Merci bien.” Miranda pressed the button on the lift. 

“Fur purse.” Andy laughed, taking Priestly, “don’t take it personally, Priest.”

“Talking to animals are you?”

“Saving him from becoming a purse.” Andy laughed. 

“Do I look like Cruella DeVil?” Miranda reached over and petted Priestly’s coarse fur, “besides, he’s much too coarse for a purse, he’d be itchy.” 

Miranda let them into their room and Andy stared at the décor in wonder. She moved to the window and looked out, exclaiming excitedly, “we have a view of the tower!” 

Miranda wrapped her arms around Andy’s waist and pulled her close, capturing her lips. Andy’s hands snaked over Miranda’s hips and down to cup and knead her ass. She moaned into the kiss as Miranda pushed her back against the wall. Andy hiked a leg up Miranda’s thigh and bucked her hips against her.

Andy pushed Miranda’s shirt off her shoulders. She broke the kiss and started to kiss, lick and nip down her neck. Miranda leaned back, giving Andy better access to her neck. Andy pushed Miranda’s dark hair out of her way and bit down into the creamy skin. 

Miranda dragged them to the bed. Andy fell onto it with a bounce and Miranda straddled her hips. Miranda captured her lips in a searing kiss and started to pull her shirt up. Once she got the shirt up over Andy’s breasts she leaned down to pepper kisses on the newly exposed skin. She unceremoniously pulled her bra down and cupped the breasts. 

Andy groaned and closed her eyes. She was aquiver with anticipation. Miranda leaned down and slowly swirled a tongue over Andy’s pink nipple. Andy moaned loudly. Miranda’s mouth closed around the bud and sucked until Andy’s back was arched at an impossible angle, thrusting her breast further into Miranda’s mouth. 

Miranda’s body ached for contact and she was reminded that it had been nearly a year since she’d had sex and it had been nearly ten years since she’d had good sex. Those thoughts were shoved easily to the back of her mind as she focused on the vision that laid prone and waiting under her. 

Andy’s hands pulled Miranda’s shirt open and easily pulled it off, throwing it haphazardly asside. She pulled Miranda down to kiss her. “You’re so beautiful,” she huffed, her fingernails raking over Miranda’s sides, “god, you’re amazing.” 

Miranda divested Andy of the shirt and bra, “oh Andrea,” Miranda cupped her cheeks, “I want this so much.”

“You’ve got it, Miranda,” Andy breathed, “it’s all for you, god, I am surrendered to you so completely, you have no idea… please…” 

Miranda got off the bed for a moment and looked down at Andy’s heaving chest and pleading eyes. She grinned and unzipped Andy’s pants, yanking them off her without scruple crawling back between her legs. 

Miranda nuzzled her center through the cotton underpants and Andy briefly cursed herself for buying the sensible underwear instead of sexy underwear. In her defense, though, she didn’t know the protocol for dressing for bumming around Europe trying to prevent the end of days. 

Miranda’s fingers slid under the waistband of the underwear and all logical thought in Andy’s brain went out the window and was replaced with _oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god_ as she gripped the sheets desperately. 

Miranda pulled the underwear slowly down her legs and once she had removed them she placed kisses slowly up Andy’s legs. Andy thought she would explode from the teasing. Couldn’t Miranda see how wet she was? How ready? How _desperate_? Perhaps she was just mean. 

Long slender fingers lightly traced Andy’s opening. Andy let out a whimper and lifted her hips towards Miranda’s touch. Miranda moaned feeling Andy’s wetness, the usual feeling of pride filled her as she pushed her fingers into Andy, filling her. 

Andy moaned loudly, arching her back and bucking her hips. Miranda added another finger and set a slow rhythm, pushing her fingers into Andy and curling them up, pressing against the most sensitive spot. 

Miranda watched Andy’s face flashing lust and desire and affection and back to lust as Miranda’s fingers slid in and out of her. Miranda could have come just from watching her but thought that Andy might have been insulted if she didn’t get to do it herself. She leaned down and extended her tongue until it touched Andy’s clit. 

Andy gasped and moaned and writhed. She pushed her hips up into Miranda’s face. Miranda happily obliged, her tongue swirled around Andy’s clit as her free hand held Andy’s hips up to her greedy mouth. 

Andy held on until she felt that she was on the brink of madness. She gripped the sheets and squeezed her eyes shut and screamed as her orgasm ripped through her. She moaned long and low and writhed. “ _Holy fucking jesus shit_.” She mumbled as her eyes rolled back into her head. She ran her fingers through her hair. 

Miranda grinned like the cat who ate the canary as she watched Andy recover. Miranda leaned down to kiss Andy’s thighs and Andy whimpered. 

“Very colorful orgasm.” Miranda smirked coyly.

“Whole new meaning to touched by an angel.” Andy sat up and wrapped her arms around Miranda’s shoulders. “That was the most amazing sex I’ve ever had.”

“Pregnant sex is going to be the best sex of your life,” Miranda kissed her lips and then her neck, “it’s all the hormones.”

“No, no… no one has ever fucked me like that before. Miranda, that was amazing. That’s the kind of sex that people paint art for, write books about!” 

“You’re going to give me a big head.” Miranda dragged her teeth over Andy’s pulse point. 

“I’m going to return the favor,” she breathed, flipping them over. Miranda lay on her back looking up at Andy with half lidded eyes, her expression dripping with desire. “Take your contacts out? I want to see _your_ eyes.” 

Miranda had nearly forgotten about her contacts. She’d never let a lover see her eyes during sex and for a moment she was overcome with uncertainty. Surely it was a simple request, one that shouldn’t cause her any anxiety. 

Andy touched Miranda’s face gently, pressing soft adoring kisses along her jawline. Miranda was overcome with affection for the girl, in whom she could sense no ill-will and found it hard to refuse her anything. She reached up and removed the little concave lenses. 

Her eyes were dark, almost black but with faint traces of yellow. “I love your eyes.” Andy whispered, “I love that I get to see them.” 

Miranda’s hands ran up Andy’s back. Andy lowered her lips to Miranda’s neck and sucked on the supple skin until she had left a dark purple hickey. If Miranda could manipulate her own physical appearace Andy intended to take full advantage.

Miranda’s moans were low and guttural, the sounds driving Andy wild. Andy’s hands cupped Miranda’s breasts, kneading the flesh and nipped down to the crevice between them. She reached underneath her and unhooked her bra, throwing it in the general direction of her shirt. 

“Skip that, there’ll be time for that later!” Miranda all but yelped as she lifted her hips desperately. 

“Don’t have to tell me twice.” Andy grinned, making quick work of her pants and shoving her fingers into Miranda’s hot, wet cunt. 

Miranda gripped Andy’s hips as she bucked her own against Andy’s thrusting fingers. Her nails dug and Andy bit her lip to bite back a hiss, favoring instead to push through the pain. Miranda’s moans and groans and grunts were endless as she rode Andy’s fingers for all she was worth before a hugely powerful orgasm overtook her. 

Andy let out a breath reaching to the fingernails burrowing their way under her skin and extracted them, she took Miranda’s hands and held them tightly as Miranda returned to herself. 

Andy snuggled up to her new lover and kissed her temple, whispering in her ear, “somehow I don’t think that was all me,” she grinned, “do you have super orgasms as part of your angel repertoire?”

“No, Andrea,” Miranda shook her head, “no, no, that was all you… it’s been… _a while_. Also, I do confess that I was starting to feel my age and it’s very sexy to be desired by a beautiful young woman who knows my dirty little secret.” 

“Being an angel is hardly a dirty secret,” Andy smiled, wiping hair away from Miranda’s sweaty forehead. 

“I’m only half angel, actually.” Miranda admitted, “my mother is an angel but my father was a genie and genies are… supposedly evil.” 

“Supposedly?”

“Well… _inherently_.” 

“So… half of you is inherently… _evil_?” 

“Not necessarily.” Miranda shook her head. “It’s like say a kid inherits mathematical prowess from her mother but not her impeccable sense of direction.”

“Wait… so you actually did lie to me, after you told me that you were entirely truthful?”

“I never said entirely. I never said I revealed all to you. Everything I’ve told you is true and that’s indisputable.” 

“I’m supposed to feel safe with you?”

“ _Yes_.” Miranda said it with conviction. “I am for all intents and purposes your angel, my duty to God is to keep you safe and my duty to you is to tell you the truth. I’m telling you that my father is a genie because I want to be honest with you.”

“Jesus.” Andy sat up looking away from Miranda.

Miranda ran her fingers through her hair. “I didn’t tell you originally because it sounds crazy enough to tell you I’m an angel and it doesn’t inspire confidence to reveal that I’m half genie.”

“No, you’re right, it doesn’t.” 

“Andrea, I’m still the same person I was 10 minutes ago.” She said softly, “I’m still the same as I was yesterday.”

“And in a couple of days when you give me another piece of the puzzle, what then? Are we going to go through this same song and dance, Miranda?” Andy turned to look at her, her eyes were narrowed, attempting to understand.

Miranda shook her head, “that’s the last piece, Andrea, that’s it, that’s the whole truth.”

“How do I know that, Miranda?”

“Because I never lie, I always employ semantics to circumvent the truth, but I never lie.” Miranda explained, “and I am saying to you, point blank, that I have told you the whole, entire truth.”

“But how do I _know_ that?”

“I guess you’ll have to have faith in me.” Miranda whispered.


	17. Chapter 17

“What do you mean no flights?” Christian demanded.

“I don’t think I could say it any more clearly, sir.” The man behind the desk raised an eyebrow, “there are no flights out until tomorrow, we received a threat and we have to make sure that the safety of our patrons is not compromised.” 

“This is un-fucking-believable! So what you’re telling me is the the entire London transportation system has come to a grinding halt?”

The man scoffed, “that’s an exaggeration, only the planes have come to a grinding halt. I hear our double decker buses are still quite functional.”

Emily stifled a laugh and Christian shot her a look of pure annoyance. 

“God, this city is a parody of itself! No wonder your empire crumbled.” He mumbled to himself.

Emily smacked him in the shoulder, “can you not shut your mouth for a whole minute? You are coming off as a douchebag American tourist, just shut up. There are other ways to get to Cannes.” 

“Your wife is right, sir, the train can take you the whole way there.”

“Oh god!” Emily protested, “I’m not his wife! This loathsome man is my rather incidental travel companion and if I were ever to be with him I’d hope someone would have the kindness to institutionalize me.”

“Oh, who’s the douchebag now?” 

“Uh… still _you_ actually.” Emily narrowed her eyes at him. 

“Not to interrupt your row, but I do have to ask you both to leave because you’re causing congestion.” He motioned to the line of people behind them. 

Emily threw her hair haughtily over her shoulder and walked out of the airport with her head high. Christian caught up to her outside. “What is your _problem_ with me?”

“You’re devil spawn and for once I don’t mean it figuratively.” 

“Oh, and you’re perfect?” 

“I am fucking _Mother Theresa_ compared to you.” 

Christian smirked a little, “you know, there’s a thin line between love and hate.”

“There’s a thin line between my foot and your arse and if either of those lines are crossed you’re in for a world of hurt.” Emily sighed, “so what now?”

“We’ll probably return to our sexually charged banter until one of us breaks down and jumps on the other.”

Emily sneered, “you disgusting little sod. Do you want to take the train, rent a car or wait? Jesus Christ…” 

Christian laughed, “I know what you meant and we’ll take the train, that would be fastest, right?”

Emily sighed and thought about it for a moment, “yeah, the train can get us there in almost 14 hours but if we waited for the plane it would be tomorrow morning by the earliest. And renting a car would just be ridiculous.” 

“Alright, you’re the boss.” 

Andy took a shower in the morning and then Miranda took one. “Shall we walk to the train station?” Miranda asked, toweling off her hair and poking her head out into the room.

Andy shook her head, “no, I’d like to take a cab.”

“Really? It’s a nice day outside.”

“Don’t condescend to me, Miranda. _Yes_ , I would like to take a cab.” Andy scowled and then admitted, “I pulled muscles in my thighs last night. Come here, Priestly.” 

Priestly leapt onto the bed and laid his front half over Andy’s lap. She petted the dog and leaned down and kissed the top of his head, “at least you won’t tell me you’re half cat.”

Miranda rolled her eyes, “that’s juvenile.”

Andy hugged Priestly. “I’d rather be juvenile than a hypocrite.” 

Miranda threw down the towel in annoyance, “oh for Heaven’s sake, Andrea! I told you that I have had a difficult time having faith in people and I withheld the second half of my patronage because I was afraid you’d judge me, I told you because I wanted to be forthcoming with you.” 

Andy snorted indignantly. 

“And now I’m sorry I did!” Miranda scowled, “I thought you were different, I thought you… understood. God, what was I thinking?”

“Damned if I know.” Andy grumbled. 

“Gather your things together and be ready to go in a few minutes.” Miranda headed for the door.

“Where are you going?” Andy yelled.

“I’m going to hail a cab.” Miranda hissed, “dog, stay with her.” 

Andy opened her mouth to rebut but Miranda had already slammed the door behind her, leaving her alone in the room with the dog. Her eyes welled up and she rubbed them idly. “Come on, Priest, let’s get our stuff together.” 

Miranda had gathered up a box full of pastries and laid them out as soon as they were situated in their private compartment. Miranda ate one of the profiteroles and gave a roll to Priestly, “I’ll get you proper dog food in Cannes.”

“I don’t think he’s doing much complaining about the foods you’ve been feeding him.”

“Are you talking to me again?” 

Andy huffed, “hardly.” 

Miranda heaved a hugely aggrieved sigh. She pulled two books out of her purse and held one out to Andy, “I got you a sudoku book.”

Andy accepted the book, watching Miranda with surprise. Miranda had already looked down to her own book, a novel, and away from her traveling companion. She sighed inwardly, though she still felt hurt she made a little extra room for guilt.

Miranda was downright angry. Her eyes were so red she thought they might burn through her contacts. She felt like Andy had played her, that she’d said all the right things to get her into bed. She was mostly angry at herself for trying to trust Andy, she _knew_ that trusting someone was the quickest road to heartache, she knew it and she did it anyway. She felt like a pathetic old skirt chaser. 

Whether either of them liked it or not they were stuck together, bound by obligation and dependency, for three quarters of a year. 

“So we’re going to Cannes?” Andy spoke.

“Mm.” Miranda confirmed not looking up from her book. 

Andy rolled her eyes. “Who’s being juvenile now?”

Miranda looked up and Andy could swear she saw the bright red flash through the sweet honey colored contacts. Andy gulped. “I am not being juvenile. I’m being reserved.” She smirked, “you don’t want to hear what I’m thinking.”

“Evil thoughts, I’d imagine.”

Miranda sucked in a calming breath and stood up abruptly. “I’m going to go read in the dessert cart.” Priestly looked up at her, “you’ll be fine here with the dog.”

“Priestly!” Andy yelled, “Priestly, goddamnit! He has a name!” 

Miranda slammed the door to the compartment behind her, almost running into the conductor who shrivelled under her withering look. She found a quiet seat in the dessert cart to sit and read. 

Her vision kept blurring and she was beginning to worry about her eyesight before she realized that not only was she crying but she’d gone through an entire chapter without retaining anything. She slammed the book down on the table and put her face in her hands. When she looked up again she saw that she wasn’t alone. 

“I don’t mean to intrude, dear,” the woman began, “but you looked like you could do with a bit of company.”

Miranda sighed and rubbed her forehead. The woman looked like she was pushing 60 and she had a very proper English accent. 

“It’s my experience that pretty young ladies don’t normally cry without a good reason.”

“Your experience?”

“I’m a psychologist, Dr. Nora Baker, I’m giving a talk in Cannes this weekend.” She explained, “like I said, I don’t mean to be intrusive, but I’m a good listener if you want to talk.” 

“Your accent… is it southern English? Maybe Cornwall?”

“Yes, actually.” She smiled brightly, “that’s impressive accent detection, are you a student of linguistics?” 

“I grew up in Cornwall.” Miranda searched the woman’s face, she bore a very striking resemblance to Miranda’s adoptive mother. She sighed, Evelyn Princhek was the one person she could never lie to and she was beginning to feel similarly about Dr. Nora. 

“I’m going to take a guess and say lover’s quarrel.” Nora laid a hand over Miranda’s.

Miranda nodded a little, “everybody always says they want you to be honest with them and then when you are they get upset about it. I just feel like I’m being persecuted and I miss my children and I wish was home.” 

Nora looked sympathetic, “it’s always tough to be away from one’s children, they must be very young.”

“They’re going to be 11 in November and I’m not going to be able to spend it with them.” Miranda sniffled.

“Eleven? Heavens…” Dr. Nora looked stunned. 

Miranda remembered that she looked a lot more youthful than she had a week ago. “I’m a lot older than I look.”

Nora laughed, “you’d have you to be, wouldn’t you? I would never have pegged you older than 20.” 

“You’re very kind, doctor. Twenty… thank you.” Miranda sighed. _Twenty indeed_. “I don’t desire to be twenty again and my young companion has reminded me very abruptly exactly _why_ I don’t want to be twenty again.”

Nora smiled, “young lovers keep one young but make one feel like a jackass.”

“You cut right to the quick, don’t you?” Miranda rubbed her eyes. 

“Youth burns bright and quickly.” Nora gave Miranda’s hand a squeeze, “you’ll make it over this, especially if you’re travelling together for any length of time. I’ve found it’s often very grounding to talk to one’s children.” 

Miranda nodded and palmed the cell phone in her pocket. “Yeah…” she pulled it out and dialed the familiar number. All their numbers were the same because of their family plan Miranda’s ended in 5237, Cassidy’s in 5238 and Caroline’s in 5239. “I think I’ll do that.”


	18. Chapter 18

“Hey bobsie, it’s mommy.” Miranda cooed into the phone.

“Mom!” Cassidy was ecstatic and relieved to hear her mother’s soothing voice. “Oh my god, mom, we tried to call but your phone’s dead or something.”

“I had to get rid of it, bob, keep this number and don’t give it to anyone but your sister. Is she with you?”

“I’ll get her.” Cassidy said and Miranda could hear her yell, “Caroline! Get in here! Mom’s on the phone!” 

Miranda held the phone away from her ear but could still clearly hear Caroline’s footsteps and the twins’ excited chatter as her daughters crowded around the phone. “I’m putting you on speaker.”

“Hello my babies,”

“You sound sad, mom.”

“I just miss you so much, I wish I could be with you right now. How are you?” 

“We’re in Illinois, how do you think we are?” Cassidy scoffed. 

“It’s a city though, isn’t that fun?”

“Dad’s not letting us do anything without him. You certainly trust us a whole lot more than he does.”

“Well, in your father’s defense he’s not used to being your caretaker, he loves you and he just has to get the hang of being responsible for you. You’ll have to cut him a little slack.”

“I haven’t had any prophetic things since you left.” 

“Me neither.” 

“Do we have to be near you to get them maybe?”

“I don’t know, babies, but Andrea and I aren’t doing too badly, we’re keeping on the move. I think we’re going to stay awhile someplace after we visit Cannes.” Miranda didn’t want to give away too many details, just in case. “Could you send me a picture or two of you? I lost the pictures I had of you.”

“Oh yeah, totally, can you take pictures for us from your trip and stuff?” 

“Absolutely, sweetness.” 

“And Andy’s okay?”

“She’s… in good health and in no physical danger.” 

“Catch a wiff of that hostility, Cass?” 

“I totally did, Care, what do you think is up with that?”

“Oh enough with that, girls.” Miranda sighed, “Andrea and I just have difference of opinion problems. I think we’re putting our differences aside for the most part. We’ll be fine.” 

“Good.”

“So what happened to the dog?”

“Okay, you were right, the dog is for me. He’s been a big help and you can gloat when we all get home to New York.” Miranda smiled, “I should go though, the train’s about to go through a tunnel. I love you both very very much. Call or text me whenever, okay?”

“Kay. We love you too, mom.” 

Miranda stood up from the seat and walked slowly back to the compartment. She knocked softly on the door before going in so Andy wouldn’t be startled. Andy looked up.

“Are you hungry? I think they’re going to start around with the food cart.” She looked at her watch. 

Andy shrugged and pulled her legs up under her. “I don’t know. I’m not that hungry.”

“We should get to Cannes in a couple of hours.” 

“Miranda,” Andy started.

Miranda put up a hand to stop her, “look, clearly attempting a relationship was a bad idea, but I want you to know that it is not going to effect the voracity with which I am going to protect you. You are _safe_ with me.”

“Yeah.” Andy nodded, “I was completely stupid to think you could swallow even a little bit of your pride or have just a little bit of compromise. You _are_ Miranda Priestly, the name might not mean anything to you but you are that person.” 

“ _Compromise_?” Miranda demanded.

“We have one fight about the genie thing and you automatically end the relationship.”

 _Relationship_.”

“Stop repeating things I say with emphasis!” Andy snapped, “is this the way you argue? Because it’s really obnoxious!”

Miranda pointed at Andy, “no more talking for the rest of the train ride.”

Andy opened her mouth to argue but found that she had no voice. Her jaw dropped in indignant anger and she started to mouth profanities, desperately trying to scream at Miranda. 

“If you’re in physical danger you can speak, but that’s the only provision.” Miranda pursed her lips, waiting for Andy to tire herself out. “You should really watch your blood pressure.” 

Miranda’s cell phone vibrated in her pocket and she took it out and it vibrated again. Two new picture messages. One of the girls together that they’d just taken and one picture of a picture of the the three of them. Tears sprang to Miranda’s eyes and she sunk back down onto her seat. 

Andy huffed with annoyance. She begged herself not to feel sympathy for Miranda. She pleaded internally not to rationalize Miranda’s anger. She wanted to be mad, she wanted to be angry, she wanted to scream. 

She stood up from her seat and crossed to sit next to Miranda. Miranda looked up at her questioningly. Andy wrapped her arms around Miranda, Miranda’s tears flowed freely and she buried her face in Andy’s shoulder. 

Emily rushed back to the compartment where Christian was reading a newspaper with annoyance. “Hey, get your things together, we’re going to get off in Paris.”

“Oh?”

“I just reserved us two seats on a plane from Paris to Cannes, we’re cutting out more than half the travel time.” 

“Excellent.” He stood up, “when’s the train stopping in Paris?”

“In just a minute, I just thought of it.” Emily explained, “get the stuff.”

“It’s _your_ stuff.” He protested.

“Be a gentleman.” Emily smirked.

“I don’t think that cloven hooved creatures from the depths of hellfire are required to be gentlemen.” Christian crossed his arms across his chest and ellicited a strange look from the old woman seated across from him. 

“Fine.” Emily shrugged, “we’ll miss the flight then and all because you wouldn’t get my bag.” 

Christian slung the bag over his shoulder with a scowl, “you’re a jerk.” 

“Suck it up.” Emily rolled her eyes as they exited the train and stepped into the Paris train station. 

“How long am I carrying this for?” Christian grunted.

“Until I say otherwise,” she snorted, “get your shit together, we have to get to Charles DeGaul in 20 minutes.” 

“For Satan’s sake, Em, I don’t know if we can make it!” 

“We’ll make it. I have faith.” Emily said, still moving, “but there’s no stopping, we have to keep moving until we’re on that plane.” 

“I’ll hail a cab,” he flagged down a taxi right away. The perks of travelling with a creature from Hell. 

They climbed in and Emily leaned forward to speak to the driver, “Charles DeGaul, merci.” Christian’s gaze raked up Emily’s shapely calves and over her knees to the hem of her designer skirt that had ridden more than halfway up her thigh. 

Andy was curled up next to Miranda, her head in her lap, her eyes shut and her lips parted in sleep. Miranda’s fingers absently stroked the young girl’s hair and cheek as she continued to read her book. Priestly was curled up at her feet. 

Miranda sighed and leaned down and kissed Andy’s temple, “I want you to dream beautiful dreams,” she whispered into Andy’s ear, “I want you to be happy.” 

Andy stirred but didn’t wake up. Miranda looked at her watch and decided that taking a little nap wouldn’t be uncalled for.

“What are you doing?” Christian looked over at Emily’s tray and watched her hand moving over the paper. 

“I’m making a sketch of what Miranda looks like according to the receptionist in London.”

“Why?”

“So we can have a picture to show people when we get to Cannes. I have a picture of Andy and my cell phone number, we can pass them out.” 

“Why your phone number and not mine?” 

“Because mine works reliably overseas, that’s why.” She rolled her eyes, continuing her sketch. “That looks like Miranda, right?”

He looked at it and shrugged, “well, not the Miranda I know, but I guess so.” 

“You’ll get these copied for me.” Emily said, “and use your mind thing to get people to cooperate and actually call when they see them.”

“Oh ye of little faith,” he grinned. 

Emily snorted.


	19. Chapter 19

“I don’t think I signed up for this much work.” Christian groaned as they entered the last hotel in Cannes. 

‘You complain a lot.” 

“You don’t help much.” He grunted. 

“I sketched the picture, didn’t I? And got us to Cannes 6 hours earlier than we would have?” Emily put her hand on her hip.

“Alright, alright.” Christian rolled his eyes. “So what now? We just wait?”

“We could try to be vigilant.” Emily smirked, “this is Miranda’s favorite hotel, I’d put money on it that she’ll come here.” 

“You don’t think we already missed her?” Christian sighed, “you don’t think she’s already been and gone?” 

“Nobody recognized her.”

“Maybe it’s because she doesn’t stand out anymore, Charlton! Didn’t you think of that? Two dark haired women travelling together doesn’t really set off the radar, you know?”

Emily sighed heavily, “why the hell am I even here if you think I’m so wrong?” 

He grumbled. “I could make you tell me everything right now!”

“And yet you haven’t.” Emily crossed her arms across her chest. “Have you tried? Or are you sweet on me?”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Christian spat.

“If you did try you already know that it doesn’t affect me.” She grinned, “and you just have to trust me.”

He growled a little as he pushed past her. “Let’s just get a room and wait for them. You’d better hope you’re right.” 

“Yeah, or what?” She scoffed, rolling her eyes. 

“Don’t push me.” 

Emily extended a hand and gave his shoulder a hard shove. He growled and turned to glare at her. She pursed her lips and looked annoyed. He growled again before going up to the reception desk. “Give us a room.” 

Andy still couldn’t talk. She had resigned herself and just slept through the train ride. Miranda nudged her, “we’re going to be in Cannes in a few minutes.”

Andy sat up and stretched, her neck was stiff. Priestly pricked his ears up and vigilantly watched the two women prepare to get off the train. 

“First things first, Andrea, you have to eat.” Miranda said as she set foot on the platform.

“No, first things first,” Andy frowned as she stepped down next to Miranda, “don’t ever use her jedi mind tricks on me while we’re having an argument or I’m really never talking to you again.” 

“Fine.” Miranda grumbled dejectedly.

“Second things second, I am starving.” Andy rubbed her belly. “Miranda, when will I start to show? It’s funny because I don’t even feel pregnant. It’s such a weird feeling.”

Miranda reached out and affectionately touched Andy’s cheek. “You won’t show for another couple of months. You’ll be able to feel the baby move around the same time unless you’re really in tune or the baby grows differently because it’s… you know, Jesus.” Miranda looked around and realized that Andy had stopped moving. She walked back to her and took her by the elbow, “what’s wrong?” 

“Baby. No one has said the word baby before. You know, to me.” Andy felt weak and she reached behind her, thankful to feel a bench. She sank down onto it. “Holy fuck, Miranda, I’m having a _baby_.”

“Oh Andrea,” Miranda sat down next to her and stroked her hair, “I know, Andrea, but you aren’t alone.”

Andy looked over at Miranda with wide eyes. “I’m not?”

Miranda took Andy’s hand and squeezed it, “no, Andrea, you’re never going to be alone again. I will always be here for you. In whatever capacity you need… or want. I am tethered to you, not out of my obligation to God but out of my obligation to my heart.”

“Oh Miranda…” Andy’s eyes were wet with tears as she looked into Miranda’s eyes.

“I mistakenly thought that I could listen to my head, that my heart could just be quiet and go along for the ride. It just seemed that everything my heart wanted was so irrational and that it couldn’t really make a logical decision anymore but… at the risk of sounding like a cliché, the heart wants what it wants.” Miranda kissed Andy’s hand, “the heart wins out over the head anyday.” 

Andy leaned her forehead against Miranda’s and cupped the back of her head, feeling her silky hair beneath her fingers as busy travellers came and went around them. Tears streamed down Andy’s cheeks as she clung to Miranda. 

“I want you with me always, I don’t ever want to be without you.” Andy whispered. 

“I guess we’re in agreement then.” Miranda smiled with a whisper, “we’re stuck with each other, huh?”

Andy laughed a little and gave her a quick kiss. 

“Now let’s get you fed, okay?” Miranda smiled, “is your panic attack over? Should I get you something and bring it here?”

“No, no, I’m good.” Andy stood up, “I’m good. I’m okay. I actually really want to get out of the train station. It’s stuffy in here.” 

Christian rolled over and grinned at Emily. “Was it good for you?”

“I hate myself.” Emily groaned rolling over away from him and getting out of bed. The cool air hit her naked body and she shivered. She glanced over at him, “I hate myself so much.” 

Christian propped his head up on his hands and grinned, “don’t be so hard on yourself. I like you well enough.”

“That’s because we just fucked!” Emily snarled, “you _don’t_ like me and I don’t like you.”

“That’s a little harsh. I do like you.” 

“A little harsh? You’re satanic!” Emily yelled.

“I really hate to be the bearer of bad news but you’re not exactly pissing goodness over there, so don’t get so self-righteous on me. You’re the one who’s completely willing to sell out your boss. Who you’ve loyally and dutifully served for-- what?—three years? That’s really fucking respectable, Em. You should be really proud.”

“Don’t even talk to me about respectability.” Emily grumbled, fumbling with her pants. 

A digitized jingle rang out through the room and Emily’s heart clenched in panic. Her phone was on the nightstand and Christian was going to get to it first. Bad. Very bad.

“Hello.” He said, “yes, thank you. That’s great. Thank you.” 

She snatched her phone away from him and shoved it into her pocket, desperately trying to throw her clothes on. 

“We’ve got them!” He grinned from ear to ear, pulling on his pants and throwing on his shirt. “I have to hand it to you, Charlton, you were right.” 

“Goddamnit, wait for me!” Emily was struggling with her bra, “fucking hell!” She finally pulled her shirt on and rushed out the door after him. On the way down the stairs Emily caught the heel of her shoe and sending her toppling down the last three steps. 

“Madame, ça va?” A French couple stopped to try to help her up but she had bigger fish to catch. She launched herself for the doors and looked around to find Christian and saw him running down the block. 

“Christian! Wait!” Emily yelled. 

Christian didn’t slow down until he reached the hotel that Miranda and Andy were supposed to have checked into. She caught up to him and slammed into him. “Watch it.”

“You sod.” Emily was out of breath, “you prick.” 

“Hey, hey, save the dirty talk for the bedroom.” He smirked and she smacked him. “Where did they go? The guy who called said they just left the hotel.”

Miranda handed Andy the ice cream cone and wiped her hands on a napkin. “Aren’t you going to have one?” Andy asked with a mouthful of chocolate ice cream. 

“No, I don’t desire to be sticky.” Miranda obsessively scrubbed at her fingers. “It’s somewhat of a pet peeve of mine. I don’t like to touch my food.” 

“You should try this. I’ll hold it up for you and you won’t have to touch it.” Andy smiled and held the chocolate ice cream filled sugar cone in front of Miranda.

Miranda looked at it questioningly for a few moments before leaning forward and taking a mouthful. Andy laughed and Miranda’s eyes went wide, “what?”

“You got it on your nose.” Andy giggled, she reached up and wiped it off, “allow me.”

“You know, I don’t really understand the ice cream thing.” Miranda declared, “everyone else seems to love it, but I really don’t care for it. When I was pregnant I didn’t have any strange cravings and I certainly didn’t crave ice cream at all hours of the night.”

Andy smiled, “well, Miranda, you’re special. I mean, I could say that there is no human alive who doesn’t like ice cream, but that would be a little redundant.” 

Miranda smiled and rolled her eyes good naturedly. 

Priestly was on the alert, he walked circles around the oblivious women. Something was making his short hair stand on end and his ears prick up. Something was amiss. He started to bark, he felt the danger nearing.

The barking drew the attention of Miranda and Andy away from their ice cream but it also made Christian’s head snap up. 

Emily followed his line of vision and took off running after them before he could properly process. She wanted to get to them first, she desperately needed to get to them first. Her foot snagged a rock and she broke the heel off one of her shoes, “shit, shit, shit” She cursed. She pulled the shoes off and ran twice as hard.

Miranda stared in disbelief at the approaching brit, “what is Emily doing here?” Andy demanded.

“I don’t know, but it looks like trouble, Christian’s right behind her.” Miranda noticed and started to move in the other direction, “we have to run now.”

“Okay,” Andy dropped her ice cream in the trash and took off running with Miranda.

“Miranda!” Emily yelled, “goddamnit, Miranda, stop!” 

Priestly took off after Christian and he leaped at him. “For fuck’s sake, not again!” Christian yelled as he shoved Priestly hard and as far away from him as he could.

Priestly flew through the air, his paws flailing as he tried to do something to cushion his inevitable crash. He was losing the fight with gravity as he flew into a fruit stand. The man behind the stand started to scream obscenities in French as Priestly jumped out of the cantaloupe section and propelled himself towards Christian.

“Miranda, where are we going?” Andy demanded as she kept on Miranda’s heels.

“The train station, we have to get somewhere else in a hurry.” Miranda explained she looked behind them, “where’s the dog?” 

Andy looked behind her. “Oh my God, Priestly!”

“He’ll find us, I promise, Andrea.” Miranda said but had no idea if he would. She just really hoped he would. 

“How much farther? I think I have a cramp, I can’t run anymore.”

“Keep it up, darling,” Miranda panted, “we’re almost there, just one more block.”

Emily was realizing just how glad she was that she kept up with her running. Her feet stung as she padded over the hot pavement. She knew she’d regret the barefoot chase as soon as it was over but it would be worth it if she could just catch up with them. 

A motorcycle skidded up to Emily. She looked up and saw Christian. “Emily, get on. Quick, the dog’s after me.”

Emily sighed and grabbed hold of his hand, saying a quick prayer and jumping onto the motorcycle. She held him around the waist as he sped forward.

Miranda looked back and saw that he was on the motorcycle. “Oh no!” She grabbed Andy’s hand and yanked her into a building. 

“Miranda, what?” 

“We’re going to go up,” she burst into the staircase and was making good time as Andy panted and followed, much slower. “And then over.”

“What? We’re going to jump buildings?” 

“They’re really close together and they’re only two stories up.” She opened the door to the roof. “You’re fine, I promise, as long as you get a running start.”

Andy skidded to a halt. “No, no, Miranda, I can’t do this. I know that you’re immortal and all so you can’t possibly imagine my fear, but I can’t jump buildings.”

“You can.” Miranda said firmly and assuredly, “you can and you will because we’re going to get caught if you don’t. Running start, Andrea. Look, you can see the station from here. There are the tracks, do you hear the trains?” 

“Will you hold my hand?”

“Will you keep up?

“Yes.”

“Then yes.” Miranda held out her hand for Andy and Andy, running on adrenaline and blind faith allowed Miranda to guide them over the gaps between the buildings.

“What the hell?” Christian exclaimed looking up at them. “That’s ridiculous!”

Emily heard barking behind them and turned to see the dog, “the dog is back, why does he hate you so much?”

“He’s a hell hound.” Christian said as he maneuvered throw the oblivious pedestrians. “He’s, like, a rehabilitated hell hound.”

“Jesus,” Emily muttered, clutching to Christian as he swerve to avoid a vendor selling fake designer bags. Emily looked back up at the buildings, “shit, where are they?” 

Miranda dropped down from the fire escape and held out her arms for Andy, helping her down. They were at the back end of the train station where one of the trains was idling, taking on passengers. “We’ll get on this one and go wherever it’s going.”

Andy nodded, her heart was still pounding. 

“Get on the train and wait for me, I’ll make sure we get Priestly.” Miranda said, she handed Andy the cell phone. “On the offhand chance we get separated, I’ll call you.” She kissed her. “Get on the train, Andrea.”

“But Miranda…”

“Get on the train!” Miranda took off around the building out onto the street. 

Andy waited a few moments before climbing onto the back of the train, the phone clutched desperately in her trembling hand. “Dear Lord, Miranda, be careful.”

Miranda stopped and looked around for the motorcycle but didn’t see it. Finally she heard Priestly barking. She looked over to see Priestly latched onto Christian’s arm. Christian hissed and roared an ungodly sound. Emily looked panicked and nervous until she turned and saw her.

“Miranda!” She yelled.

“Priestly!” Miranda screamed through the terminal, “get on the train be with Andrea!” The dog dutifully let go of Christian but before he could get too far, Christian kicked him and Priestly yelped. “Priestly!” 

He shook himself out and started to run for the train, holding up one of his legs. Miranda turned to run back to the train, the conductor was announcing the last call for passengers and she was a fast runner but faster than a train, she was not. 

Emily was hot on her heels and that was worrisome. “Miranda, stop, wait!” 

Miranda propelled herself at the railing on the back of the train as it was slowly starting to chug forward. Emily’s adrenaline was driving her now, she pushed through the pain and ran desperately by the train for as long as she could, “Miranda, call me!” She screamed as loudly as she could. “ _Call me_!”

Christian caught up with her, he doubled over. “Fuck!” He stood up and kicked over a trashcan. “We were so fucking close!” 

Emily watched the train move swiftly towards its destination and into the setting sun.


	20. Chapter 20

Miranda’s heart was fluttering like a hummingbird and when she emerged into the train she found Andy clutching Priestly to her chest. Miranda started to pace, “she called me Miranda, she knew who I was from 50 feet. How did she know?”

Andy was still panting and was very close to hyperventilating. “Miranda, oh my God, no more building jumping, okay? Oh my God. I’m still freaking out.”

“Okay, Andrea, we’re okay now.”

“How the hell did they find us so quickly?” Andy demanded, “what was Emily doing here?”

“Obviously Emily helped him. Emily knows my idiosyncracies and she obviously has something to do with this.” Miranda paced and ran her fingers through her hair. “What does Emily have to do with all of this?”

“Is she another demon?” Andy asked nervously.

“No, there can only be one demon on earth at a time.” Miranda shook her head, “there’s one angel and one demon and we can’t kill each other.”

“Why not?” Andy asked in a panic, “why can’t you kill him?”

“Because he’s not of mortal flesh, he’s immortal.” 

“Yeah, but in all the movies and stuff there’s always a way to kill them, there has to be something.” 

Miranda ran her fingers through her hair again, pacing tighter circles. “I don’t know.” She admitted. “I don’t know, maybe there is. I wasn’t really trained for this.” 

“Miranda,” Andy reached out for her hand and gave it a squeeze.

Miranda looked up to the ceiling, speaking to the heavens, “do you hear me, mother? I need your guidance!” 

Andy squeezed Miranda’s hand, “Miranda, is Priestly going to be okay?” 

Miranda looked down at the dog who was having a hard time breathing. Miranda knelt down in front of Andy and gently stroked the dog laying in her lap. “Probably,” Miranda whispered with a nod, “he’s likely immortal, too.”

“Likely?” 

“We’ll stop at the next stop and go to a veterinarian.” Miranda rubbed his ear, “we have to get off this train anyway, they’ll figure out where it’s going and meet us there. We have to not be there.” 

“Oh Priestly,” Andy looked down sadly at the dog. 

“He’s going to be okay, Andrea,” 

Christian pulled up alongside Emily with the motorcycle as she stared down the track at the train. “Come on, get on, we’ll go back and get your stuff and move on.”

“The train’s headed to Germany.” She said, not turning to look at him. “They won’t take it all the way to Germany. They’ll get off and change courses. I don’t know where the fuck they’re going.”

“We’ll deal with it, get on, your feet are bleeding.” 

Emily looked down and saw the blood. “Damnit.” She muttered. 

“We’ll get epsom salts and we’ll soak your feet and get you some flats, killer.” Christian patted the back of the motorcycle seat. 

She sighed and climbed onto the motorcycle. “What about your arm?” 

“Creature of the darkness.” He grinned, “we rebound quickly.”

“I told her to call me.” Emily said, wrapping her arms around him to secure her safe ride. 

“Do you think she will?” He asked as he swung through the crowds of downtown Cannes.

Emily shrugged, “I don’t know. She might. She might just be curious enough to call but you don’t live for 150 years and get stupider.” 

“Well if she’s really that old maybe she doesn’t know that we could get a fix on her location.”

“No way, Miranda is very adept with technology. Miranda’s is the only computer in the office which has never crashed and I don’t if that means she has incredible luck or because she knows more than the average bear about computers.” Emily sighed, “I’m sure she ditched her blackberry. I wasn’t sure she would but it’s definitely been off for the last week.” 

Miranda, Andy and Priestly got off the train in Nice and found a veterinary clinic where they sought medical attention for Priestly. Priestly was released with a sprained paw, that was wrapped in pink gauze, and mild bruising that would go away with time. The veterinarian also gave Miranda dog food samples when she embarrassedly admitted she’d been feeding him like a human. 

Andy carried Priestly all the way back to the train station. Miranda bought a pillow and a blanket before boarding the train. “Priestly seems pretty content to lay on you, so you can use the pillow and blanket.”

“What about you?” She asked.

“I don’t need sleep so I just won’t for now.” Miranda settled in, “I have my book and a crossword puzzle magazine.”

“Ooh, crosswords, maybe I can help.”

“They’re in French.”

“…nevermind then.” 

“I would have gotten them in English but I didn’t find any.”

“It’s okay, Miranda, seriously, I’ve got the Sudoku.” Andy smiled, “maybe we could snuggle and work on a sudoku puzzle.”

Miranda smiled, “well, the snuggling sounds great but I don’t have much head for numbers.” Andy started to grin slowly. Miranda furrowed her brow, “what’s that look for?”

“Anyone ever go down on you on a train before?”

“Yes.” Miranda nodded. 

“Well, that takes some of the fun out of it.” Andy laughed.

“Andrea, I’m 140 years old, you’d be hard pressed to find something I _haven’t_ done.” Miranda smiled indulgently.

“Alright, I accept your challenge.” Andy thought about it for a moment and then grinned like the cat who ate the canary, “you haven’t died.”

“Not true. I died in 1914 of pneumonia.”

“You can get sick?” Andy was surprised.

“I can get sick and be grievously injured and I can die. If the sickness or injury doesn’t kill me my body will heal like a normal person’s, but if it’s enough to kill me my soul goes up to Heaven but I can’t stay because I can’t _stay_ dead. Then my body is returned to health.” 

“You went to Heaven?”

“You’re surprised?” Miranda smirked.

“I’m just in awe.” Andy admitted, “what’s it like to die.”

“It’s very peaceful and there is no pain, neither physical nor emotional.” Miranda looked down, “it is a wonderful privilege to be allowed to die. I don’t want to talk about it. But do keep trying.” 

“Trying?”

“To find something I haven’t done.” She smirked, pushing away all thoughts of nostalgia and heartache in favor of flirting with Andrea.

“Alright.” Andy nodded and lost herself in thought for a few minutes while Miranda worked on her crossword. “Oh, I think I’ve got it.”

Miranda laid the magazine down in her lap and gave her full attention to Andy. “Pray tell.”

“So, you say that someone’s gone down on you on a train but have you gone down on anyone on a train?”

“I…” she stopped to think, “well… no.” 

Moments later, Miranda was on her knees between Andy’s legs, her pants carelessly discarded. Andy’s legs were propped on the opposite seat as she scooted herself to the edge of her seat. 

Miranda’s hands supported Andy as her tongue swirled over Andy’s clit. Andy gripped the edge of the seat with all her might and thanked God for private compartments. Andy bit her lip and avoided crying out. “Mmmmmiranda….” 

Miranda moaned into Andy’s hot, wet cunt, hungrily devouring her. Andy’s fingernails dug into the seat as Miranda’s tongue lapped and licked. She raised her hips to Miranda’s lips and Miranda sucked on Andy’s clit as Andy’s muscles started to clench and her thighs trembled. “Oh god…” her voice trembled, her heart race.

Suddenly all her muscles relaxed and her orgasm coursed through her. Her hands flew to Miranda’s shoulders, clutching her for support.


	21. Chapter 21

Christian came out of the bathroom, “I filled the tub with the epsom salts for you.”

“Thanks.” She winced as she put weight down onto her feet.

“Let me,” Christian stooped to lift her.

“Christian, for fuck’s sake. I can walk!” She protested, slapping at his arm but he lifted her anyway, carrying her towards the bathroom. 

“I’m a demon, I’m not heartless.” He set her down on the lid of the toilet and slowly lowered her feet into the hot, salty water. She hissed and then sighed.

“Thank you.” She said softly.

Miranda, Andy and Priestly found themselves on their third train in three hours. The current train was rattling along down the western coast of Italy. The two women watched the scenic landscape speed by. 

Miranda was the first one to break the silence. Priestly looked up alertly. “I think we’ll get off at the next stop. It looks pretty here.”

“Here? This specific place is pretty?” Andy cast her a sidelong look.

“Yeah… What?” 

Andy snorted, “we’re in Italy! Where is Italy _not_ pretty? Why is this specific place pretty? How does your mind work?”

Miranda grinned, “wouldn’t you like to know?” 

“…yes.” Andy nodded, “I would.”

“Alright, well, this area is really rural and I think it would easier to fall into anonymity here. Plus it’s by the water and I like being near water.” Miranda concluded.

“Okay, see, that’s something I can get behind.” Andy smiled, “all that being said… yes, this place is very pretty. Let’s get off the train.”

Emily sat in the internet café, she pulled up train schedules and a map of Europe. They could have gone literally anywhere. Not to mention that since Miranda knew Emily was there she would be even less predictable.

Emily printed out maps of several countries and started crossing out places that would be too predictable and circling some places that weren’t entirely Miranda but would still be very close to her comfort zone. Switzerland, Italy and Greece seemed to be the most _Miranda_. Spain seemed unlikely because, of the many languages Miranda understood, Spanish was not one of them. That wasn’t to say that Miranda had ever admitted to speaking any languages other than English, French and Italian, but when Emily hacked her computer she found bookmarks for news sites in German, Dutch, Gaelic and Romanian. Emily had known that the woman was either an undiscovered genius or the angel. She felt very validated. 

Germany seemed unlikely because that was the actual destination of the first train. Then again, perhaps Miranda would go there because it was _too_ easy, betting that they’d bypass it. 

“Fuck.” Emily whispered to herself with a heavy sigh. She touched her bag unconsciously, feeling the small package within.

“You look very studious.” Christian walked up and Emily jumped. “Take a study break.”

She looked at the bags that he was holding. She narrowed her eyes skeptically, “what do you have there?”

“Ah,” he smiled and set the bags down. “First,” he pulled out a pair of dark pink Chuck’s. “You were in desperate need of flats so I found some Converse.”

She didn’t want to admit that she was touched. “What’s in the other bag?”

He smiled again and pulled out a box of french fries, “I thought you might be hungry and I remembered what you said about french fries.”

“Are you trying to make me fat?” Emily smirked. 

Christian laughed easily, “do much more running like you did yesterday and a few french fries won’t mean anything.” He set them down, “they’re to share, so if you don’t want any…”

“I didn’t say that.” 

He smiled, “so you do want some?”

“Maybe.” 

“Maybe?” He pulled out of the bag and held it up, watching Emily watch it like a hypnotist’s watch. He put it in his mouth and crunched down on it.

Emily snatched a french fry from the box and ate it, letting out a contented sigh. 

Miranda, Andy and Priestly walked down a long dirt road towards a farmhouse. Andy was glad that she was wearing flat shoes and, for once since being around Miranda, she felt like she was dressed entirely appropriately. Miranda’s attire was a hybrid of her usual clothing and normal people clothing. Her shoes were Valentino ballet flats and her shirt was Donna Karan, it was a simple tee shirt but Andy had seen the tag. She had started out their journey with a pair of Alexander McQueen casual pants but was now wearing knock off black slacks. She’d changed her pants three times in a week and her shirt every day. In France it had been easy to find her designer clothing and she knew that in a tiny town in Italy it would be more of a challenge. They were both wearing plain cotton hanes underwear at this point. 

Andy looked at the farmhouse that was looming into full view. “I can’t imagine you being happy on a farm.”

“I’ve lived on a farm before.” Miranda admitted as they walked.

“Really? When?”

“I had a fahm in Ahfrica.” Miranda grinned, quoting her favorite movie.

“Really? You lived in Africa? That’s cool.”

“You don’t watch classic movies, do you?” Miranda asked and Andy raised an eyebrow in confusion. “It’s a line from Out of Africa… by Isak Dinesen?”

“Sorry.” Andy shrugged. 

“No accounting for taste.” Miranda teased, “I’m getting you the book and we’ll watch the movie some time.” 

They walked up the front porch steps of the house and Miranda knocked on the door. Andy hung back a little. The house seemed to be two storeys with an attached barn and two separate structures behind it. 

The door opened slowly revealing a full figured woman with long brown hair pulled back in a loose bun, “can I help you?”

Miranda smiled, “hello, I’m Miranda and this is my sister Andrea, we need a place to stay and someone in town suggested that we might try here.”

“Can you work?”

Miranda nodded. She would prefer not to but she _could_ and it might be a nice trip down memory lane rather than a practice in indignity. “Yes, I have farm experience.” 

The woman looked between Miranda and Andy, Andy smiled, and then at Priestly and nodded, “please come in.” 

“Thank you.” Miranda followed her into the house, flanked by Andy and Priestly. “We really appreciate this.”

“Well, I’m recently widowed and I could really use the help. I’m happy to have you.” She held out a hand to Miranda, “my name is Francesca.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” Miranda shook her hand, “is it just you here then?”

“My mother and I.” Francesca said, leading the way through the house. Miranda could hear a radio on and they were moving closer to it. “Let me introduce you. Don’t be startled by her eyes, she’s been blind since childhood and now she has cataracts.”

The three women entered the room with the radio. An old woman sat next to the radio, listening to the news from Florence. She looked towards the sound of their approaching footsteps. 

“Mama, we have two new house guests, Miranda and Andrea.” Francesca announced. She looked at Miranda and Andy, “this is my mother Aloysius.” 

“Buona sera, signora.” Miranda said graciously. 

Aloysius rose from her chair and walked straight toward Miranda with her arms outstretched. Miranda backed up but hit the wall. Miranda’s eyes went wide when Aloysius took her by the shoulders. “You are an old soul.” Miranda looked down into the woman’s white eyes, too nervous to move. “My, how your heart races!”

“Mama,” Francesca put her hand on Aloysius’s arm, “I think you’re making Miranda nervous.” 

“Your heart is so full of love, it’s beautiful.” Aloysius smiled, “you’re a beautiful angel, Miriam.” 

Miranda’s heart skipped three beats. 

Aloysius reached up and touched Miranda’s face, “I can see your light.” 

Andy looked over at Miranda with wide eyes. 

Francesca drew them all away from their thoughts by gently pulling Aloysius’s hands away from Miranda. “Her name is _Miranda_ , mama, not Miriam.”

“Miranda…”

“That’s right,” Francesca smiled. “Why don’t you go get ready for bed, mama?”

Aloysius nodded and disappeared up the stairs. Miranda finally breathed again, putting a hand over her heart. Andy was still watchingh her with wide eyes. 

Francesca smiled apologetically, “I’m sorry about that, Miranda, she’s harmless, I promise. I’ll have a talk with her. I only have one extra room, but it has a very large bed.”

“That’s fine.” Miranda nodded as Francesca led them up the stairs and opened the door to their room.

“You’re probably tired, I’ll say goodnight to you now.”

“Thank you, Francesca, thank you very much.” Miranda smiled weakly, “we’ll see you in the morning.” 

Miranda shut the dooor and sank down onto the bed. Andy sat behind her and wrapped her arms around Miranda’s waist. “What was that?”

Miranda shook her head, “I don’t know.” She paused to think, “sometimes blind people have second sight. It was really creepy and a violation of my personal space but Priestly didn’t bark so I don’t think she’s a threat.”

“Priestly only barks at people who are a threat?”

Miranda shrugged, “I think so, I think that’s how it works. He barks to get our attention and attacks evil people.”

Andy nodded, “which is why he attacked Christian twice.”

“Exactly.”

Andy thought for a moment, “I have a question though… did he attack Emily?”

Miranda paused, “I don’t know, I didn’t notice.”

“Maybe she’s on the level?” 

“She was with Christian though. She got onto the motorcycle with him and she didn’t look like she was was in any duress.” Miranda shook her head, “I can’t even imagine what role she would have in all of this. There’re only supposed to be three players: the angel, the demon and the madonna.”

“We have Priestly, he doesn’t count as a player?” 

“Okay, hold on. There’s the three of us, Priestly and there’s also the twins.”

“The twins? What do they have to do with this?” Andy raised an eyebrow.

“The twins are prophets, given unto me by God. So, so far there are six players. Seven if we’re going to count Emily.”

“Eight if you count Aloysius.” 

Miranda groaned and climbed under the covers, “I have a headache, I don’t want to think about this anymore.”

Andy laughed a little and joined Miranda under the covers. She wrapped her arms around her and buried her face in her hair. She brought a hand up to lay over Miranda’s heart and whispered into her ear, “I don’t have to have second sight to know that your heart is full of love.” 

“No, you just have to be a journalism major from Northwestern, hm?” Miranda smiled in the dark, covering Andy’s hand with her own. “My heart feels very safe with you.” 

Andy smiled against Miranda’s shoulder. “Sleep well, Miranda.”


	22. Chapter 22

Miranda descended the steps in the morning, she found her way to the spacious farm kitchen. It reminded her of the house she’d shared with William but obviously with many more modern conveniences. 

Aloysius was at the table and she turned towards Miranda. Miranda jumped. “Good morning, Miriam.”

“How did you know it was me?” Miranda laid a hand over her heart, willing herself to calm down. 

“I can see your essense in a miriad of color, you’re like an aurora borealis.” Aloysius smiled, “I haven’t seen such color since I was a girl.” 

“Why do you keep calling me Miriam?” Miranda sat down next to her. 

“Do I? I’m sorry, dear.”

Miranda rubbed her eyes, her contacts were irritating her. “Excuse me,” she stood up and took out her contacts. She couldn’t imagine why she shouldn’t take them out as long as the person in the room with her was blind. She set them on the counter and applied eye drops liberally to her eyes. 

“Oh my!” Aloysius stared at her. 

Miranda jumped again and looked nervous. “What?”

“Oh my Lord in Heaven.” Aloysius arose shakily and sank to her knees in front of Miranda, her hands clasped together in prayer. “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven.”

“Aloysius, please get up.” Miranda pressed herself back up against the counter. “Please! I come in peace, you don’t have to say the Lord’s prayer.” She looked to the door, nervous that Francesca would enter. 

“Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us out trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us.”

“I forgive you,” Miranda said desperately, “please, get up. I’m really not comfortable with this…” 

“Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.”

“Yes…” Miranda was trying to inch away from Aloysius, but didn’t want to get too far from her contacts. She felt very exposed without them. “Thank you, that was very good.”

Aloysius blinked at Miranda, “I never dreamt that I would really see an angel.” 

“Will you stand up please?” Miranda offered her hand. 

Aloysius took it and stood up. “You’re magnificent.”

“Thank you.” Miranda touched Aloysius’s forehead, “God bless you.”

Tears sprang to Aloysius’s eyes as Miranda helped her to her chair. “Grazie, grazie, grazie.”

“Prego,” Miranda insisted. “This is our secret, okay?” 

“A secret entrusted unto me by an angel!” Aloysius grinned, “yes, of course, your secret is safe with me.”

“Thank you.” Miranda whispered, turning around and hurriedly putting her contacts in. She sighed with relief, happy to have them in. “Is Francesca around?”

“She is outside milking the cow.” 

Miranda slipped out of the kitchen, she stepped out onto the back porch and saw the stable and a flash of movement. She walked towards it. She was still reeling, she’d never been made before and it was startling. 

“Oh, buongiorno Miranda,” Francesca smiled. “Did you sleep well?”

“I did, grazie.” Miranda nodded, “may I do something to help?”

“Do you know how to milk a cow?” Francesca laughed. 

“I do, I lived on a farm for many years. We had a farm hand but I did learn how to do it. It’s been quite some time, but I could give it a go.”

Francesca eyed her curiously. She wanted desperately to ask Miranda how old she was, she swore she didn’t look old enough for anything in her past to be _quite some time_ ago. Etiquette won out over curiosity and she handed Miranda a bucket. “You might want to change your clothes.”

Miranda looked down and felt a pang of sadness for her Donna Karan shirt. “I don’t really have other clothes. We’re travelling very light.” 

“May I ask where you’re from?”

“We came from New York City actually.” Miranda admitted. 

“And if I may ask another question.” Francesca paused to allow Miranda to object and continued, “what brings the two of you here without any luggage or anything?”

“We had to get out of New York in a hurry. You see, the girl is pregnant and we’re hiding from someone who wishes her harm.” Miranda said truthfully.

“Your sister?”

“Right, yes, my sister.” Miranda nodded. 

“The father?”

“Excuse me?”

“Is it the father who wishes her harm?” Francesca elaborated.

Miranda nodded, “yes it is and he’s very resourceful so we need to really hide.” 

Andy woke up several hours later. She stretched out and felt for Miranda but quickly found that she wasn’t there. Priestly was curled up against her stomach sleeping peacefully. Andy gently stroked the top of his head and he stretched, letting out a yawn. 

“Are you hungry, Priestly?” Andy sat up and looked around the room for Miranda’s bag, “we got you real dog food and everything.” 

Andy found one of the little bags of dog food and tore it open, pouring it onto a saucer. Priestly ate it happily. 

Andy could smell cooking from downstairs. She smiled, “smells like I’m not the only one who thought of breakfast.” She walked downstairs and found Miranda and Francesca in the kitchen. “That smells great.”

Miranda turned and smiled, “did you sleep well?”

“I did,” Andy nodded, “what’s for breakfast?”

“This is lunch, the rest of us ate breakfast four hours ago.” 

Andy blushed, “I was sleepy.”

“Not to worry, Andrea, you need your sleep. Sit down at the table and I’ll get you a glass of milk.” Miranda guided Andy to a chair and set down a glass in front of her. “I milked the cow myself.”

Andy smirked, “cute. Thank you.” She took a sip and made a face, “what is this?”

“It’s milk. It’s unpasteurized.” Miranda took a sip, “it’s an acquired taste, but that’s what it’s supposed to taste like.” 

“It’s an acquired taste and _you_ have a taste for it?” Andy laughed. 

“I’m fickle and discerning, not tasteless.” Miranda sipped her own glass, “it’s very good for you because it’s fresh and it’s not laden with artificial hormones. When I was pregnant with the twins I ate only vegetables from farmer’s markets and I even made a deal with a farm outside of Albany to send me fresh meat. Drove my husband up the wall. I was a bit of a tyrant.”

“I can’t picture it.” Andy grinned and Miranda smirked. “But my mother ate and drank normal people food and both me and my two brothers turned out just fine.”

“Did I mention that the twins were born in complete physical health, their immune systems are so good that they’ve only missed three days of school in 5 years, they never got the chicken pocks or any of those other childhood diseases, they-”

“I get it. Drink the weird milk, got it.” Andy sipped her milk and attempted to hide the face she desperately wanted to make.

“You’re not just taking care of this baby for you, this is extremely important.” 

“I know, Miranda.” Andy grumbled. 

Miranda kissed Andy’s forehead, “we’re going to stay here for as long as Francesca will have us. It will do you a lot of good to not have to worry about moving around and being surrounded by crowds. 

Emily walked into the hotel room, slamming the door shut behind her. Christian looked up from what he was doing. “Where have you been?”

“Spinning my wheels.” Emily kicked her valise. “This is fucking stupid, we had them and they slipped through our fingers.” 

“Yeah, who’d’ve expected Miranda Priestly to jump buildings?” Christian laughed. 

“This isn’t funny, Christian, now that she knows I’m here she’s going to be less predictable. We’re playing a live action Where in the World is Carmen San Diego.” 

“Emily calm down.”

“This is so much bullshit!” Emily punched the wall.

“Alright,” Christian took her by the shoulders and pushed her into the bathroom, “take a calming bath and we’ll figure out a game plan when you get out. We have _nine_ months.”


	23. Chapter 23

Miranda poked her head into the room where Andy was reading. “Is Aloysius around?” She whispered.

“You’re afraid of a little old blind lady, Miranda.” Andy chuckled. “She’s not in here, you’re safe.”

“I’m not afraid of her,” Miranda stepped into the room and crossed her arms across her chest.

“Ciao, Miriam.” Aloysius put a hand on Miranda’s back as she passed her in the hallway.

Miranda yelped and jumped. Andy laughed and laid down her book. “You’re alright. Come here, Miranda.” 

“I’m not afraid of her.” Miranda insisted, taking a seat next to Andy. “She just makes me nervous.”

“Miranda, we’ve been here for almost four months, if you don’t know that she’s harmless now, there’s no hope for you at all.” Andy laughed.

“She can _see_ me. She is blind and she can _see_ me. When that happens to you then you can tell me that I’m overreacting, until then, just… I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Maybe you can get her to wear a bell.” Andy laughed harder. 

“Thanks a lot.” Miranda stood up, “I’m opening up and being vulnerable and you’re making fun of me.” 

“The woman is, like, 100 years old. She has arthritis and a limp.” 

“Andrea, I’m serious.”

“I’m pregnant.” Andy said. 

Miranda narrowed her eyes, “what does that have to do with anything?”

“It’s my get out of jail free card.” Miranda sighed and sat down next to her. Andy put her hand on Miranda’s knee, “let’s get out of here for the day. Are you done with your slave duties for the day?” 

“Let’s go for a ride.”

“When you say ride… do you mean that you’re going to… drive?”

“Yes, Francesca has a little motorcycle which she said I could borrow anytime.” Miranda observed Andy’s skepticism, “it’s like a bicycle that moves a little faster. I’m not _that_ bad of a driver, Andrea.”

“I’m a little nauseous, Miranda, I give you fair warning.” 

“We’re just going to go through town and down to the beach.” Miranda insisted, “it’s not even five miles away. Do you really think I would take unnecessary risks with your well being?”

Andy thought about it for a moment, “no, I don’t. But I think it is well within your personality to misjudge how truly horrible of a driver you are.”

“You rode me with me _once_ and I was under duress. I’m a much more capable driver under better circumstances. Francesca watched me ride it before confidently allowing me to borrow it, does that not say anything to you?”

Andy paused, “that cataracts run in the family?” 

Miranda couldn’t help but laugh. “Go get changed into something that you can wear in the water.”

Andy brightened, “I’ve never swum in the ocean before.”

“Well, you still won’t have, it’s the Adriatic Sea.” 

“It’s connected to the ocean, isn’t it?” 

Miranda furrowed her brow, “technically, yes.” 

“Then I’m going to count it.” Andy nodded, heading for the stairs, “at least until I get to the part of the same body of water that people _call_ the ocean.” 

“Smartass.” Miranda smiled.

“You two are very cute.” Francesca smiled as she entered the room, “would you like a spot of coffee before you go?”

“Thank you,” Miranda accepted the coffee gratefully and sipped it.

“You are lovers, aren’t you?” 

Miranda choked on her coffee. “Scusi?”

Francesca smiled, “I make my deductions based on several things: you don’t look very much alike, you’ve separately described very different childhood experiences, in different _countries_ and I almost want to say _time periods_ , and you have different accents. On top of that the way you argue and tease each other is very playful and flirtatious and the way you look at each other is unmistable. I may be a widow of 5 years, but I remember what it looks like.” She concluded her explanation and added, “and, please do excuse me for being forward, but I wanted to make sure you knew that I don’t have a problem with it.” 

Miranda opened her mouth to speak but she realized she wasn’t sure what to say. 

“And again, I don’t mean to be presumptuous.”

“Thank you.” Miranda said, still unsure of how to answer Francesca. 

“Well, all that being said, the scooter is all gased up and ready for you.” She handed Miranda the keys and smiled. 

“I’m ready!” Andy announced, descending the steps. Miranda silently thanked her for providing the much needed distraction. “Thanks for letting us use the motorcycle, Francesca.” 

“No problem,” Francesca smiled, “alla vostra salute.” 

“Grazie,” Miranda nodded and followed Andy outside. 

Miranda climbed onto the scooter and handed Andy the helmet. Andy put it on and looked skeptically at Miranda for a few moments before climbing on. “You know what you’re doing?”

Andy’s worries were drowned out by Miranda starting the engine and pulling out onto the dirt road. Andy squeezed her eyes shut as the scooter sped towards the beach. 

Emily was sprawled out on a bed in a bed and breakfast in Brindisi, sound asleep. Christian entered the room with a handful of pastries. He nudged her with his foot. “ _You_ are a bed hog.” 

She looked up and rubbed her eyes. “You’re such a baby.”

“Hey, I brought breakfast.”

Emily quirked an eyebrow at him, “and it’s all carbohydrates. I do believe I will pass on breakfast today.” She sat up and rubbed her eyes again with a yawn. 

“Where are we headed now?” He asked, shoving a croissant into his mouth. 

“We’re just going to continue up the coast.” Emily said, pulling on her pants and rooting around for a clean shirt. 

“You really think that following the coasts of Europe is going to lead us to Miranda.” 

“You say that with so much skepticism that I’m almost offended.” She pulled on her shirt. “Yes. I do _really_ think that following the coast is going to lead us to Miranda. She likes to be near the water, every place she’s lived for any length of time has been on an ocean, a sea or a river.” 

“And how do you know that?”

“I’ve done my research.” Emily huffed. “I also believe that she’s stationary. She’s going to stay where she is until we find her.”

“Why?”

“Because she doesn’t want to stress Andy. And because she plans on staying stationary she’ll undoubtedly pick a place that she feels comfortable with. Which is Europe, near the water.”

“I thought you said she wasn’t going to be predictable now.”

“I don’t think she figures that either of us know her history before Miranda Priestly so she won’t view it as predictable. As Miranda she’s only lived in New York City and visits Paris, London and Milan once a year. She will avoid these places. That is how she thinks she’s being unpredictable.” 

“She went to Cannes.” Christian protested, “that was even more predictable than Paris. Why have we ruled out being unpredictable by being predictable.”

“It’s way too big of a risk.” Emily shook her head, “we scared her in Cannes and she’s not going to risk outrunning us again.”


	24. Chapter 24

Andy skipped rocks across the water. She was a terrible rock skipper. She turned around to look at Miranda. Miranda was staring off into the distance. 

“You’ve been quiet.” Andy said, Miranda looked at her and shrugged. “Are you mad at me for being discouraging about your driving or for teasing you about Aloysius?”

Miranda shook her head, “no, I’m just…” she shook her head. “No, I’m not mad.”

“What is it then?”

“I don’t know how to deal with any of this.” Miranda shrugged. She shivered a little, she had taken off her Donna Karan to lay on the beach in her makeshift bikini top, otherwise known as her bra.

“You mean the running from demons thing?” Andy laughed throwing another stone into the sea.

Miranda shook her head and pulled her knees up to her chest. “I wish I meant that.”

Andy furrowed her brow. “Are you sure we’re not having a fight? Miranda, talk to me.” She went to Miranda and wrapped her arms around her. “What’s wrong?”

“You know my secret, Aloysius knows my secret, Francesca knows one of my secrets and you all like me anyway.”

“That isn’t a good thing?” Andy smiled.

“No, it’s horrifying. If you fall out of love with me or something it will be entirely my fault, it won’t be because of my secret keeping, it will only be able to be attributed to a personal flaw.” 

Andy smiled and nuzzled Miranda’s hair. “Oh baby, that’s something everybody has to deal with. You’ve avoided it so far, I realize, and have never taken responsibility for the end of a relationship, probably. But Miranda, I’m really not going anywhere and Aloysius literally worships you.”

“Still…”

“Miranda, I know we’ve been implying it left and right since this whole thing started, but I’m going to come right out and say it.” Andy kissed her and whispered, “I love you.”

Miranda leaned her head against Andy’s. “I love _you_.” 

“The certainty that I feel that I am going to spend the rest of my life is frightening and exhilerating and amazing. I have never felt more certain about anything.” Andy insisted. “I love that I get to know your secrets and I love you all the more for them. I also know that I never would have gotten to know you this well if I wasn’t the vessel for the second coming but I guess that’s what fate is all about, right?”

Miranda cupped Andy’s cheeks and kissed her sweetly. “I love that you’re my fate. I will admit that I was, at first, annoyed by having to accept this mission but it’s kind of fun when we’re not trying to outrun Christian.”

Andy kissed Miranda again. Miranda wrapped her arms around Andy and they laid down in the sand as the kisses became more persistent. 

The sound of a motorbike approaching in the distance snapped Miranda back to reality. 

“What is it?” Andy asked, confused.

“Shh,” Miranda peeked over the rocks and her heart stopped for a moment, she could distinctly see red hair flying in the breeze. “I think it’s them.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Miranda.” Andy smiled, “what would they be doing in Bari?”

“Andrea, if anyone could find me it would be Emily.” She sighed, “humor me and stay down.”

Miranda held Andy down for added measure as the motorbike slowed and stopped. She dared not look over the rocks.

“That shirt’s Donna Karan.” Emily cried excitedly.

“Are you sure?” Christian asked as Emily ran towards it.

Emily picked it up and looked at the tag, “plain as day. Holy shit, Christian! I think we found them!”

Andy covered her mouth in horror and looked to Miranda whose eyes were cast towards the conversation. 

“Yeah, alright, you found a designer shirt on a beach. Pardon me if I don’t start celebrating, I hate to point out the obvious but there’s no one here.” 

“Elementary, my dear Christian, they’re hiding.”

“I am so not Watson.” 

“You’re right. You’re not smart enough to be Watson.” She sneered, “I’m like Sherlock Holmes and you’re like the gutter snipe I picked up because I hate to travel alone.”

Christian couldn’t help but grin, “you are so… _wicked_.”

Emily smirked, “let’s split up and look for them. You take that cavern over there, I’ll take this one and we’ll go from there.” 

“Go to our motorcycle and get on but don’t make any noise. I’ll be right there.” Miranda whispered into Andy’s ear. Andy nodded and crept towards the motorcycle.

Once Miranda was confident that Andy was safely by the bike and that neither of their pursuers had heard her she crept towards their motorcycle. She thanked God that she had thought to bring the steak knife from Francesca’s kitchen. She pulled it out from her back pocket and cut the break line and slashed the gas tank. 

“Andrea, start the engine!” Miranda yelled. 

Christian and Emily heard the yell and rushed out as the motorcycle revved to life. Miranda climbed on in front of Andy and sped away from the scene.

Christian and Emily jumped onto their own motorcycle and sped off after them. 

Miranda drove further into town, hoping to trick them into crashing by making sharp and sudden turns. Andy was just hoping not to vomit. She clung to Miranda, her face buried in her hair and her eyes squeezed shut.

Christian was exhilerated. He had them, he had them dead to rights. His motorcycle was much newer and faster than hers and he knew he’d catch up easily.

Miranda’s heart thudded in her chest as she hoped that their gas would run out or that they’d realize they had no brakes before he caught up. She dared to glance at her mirror and saw that they were rapidly approaching.

“Dear Lord, please guide me.” Miranda prayed as she skidded to a halt a mere foot from a vendor selling fruit and turned the scooter down a street on the diagonal, knowing that Christian couldn’t repeat the move without his brakes.

Christian desperately applied the brakes only to discover that he had none. “Brace yourself!” He yelled to Emily. Emily shrieked and reached up to cover her face as they slammed into the cart as both riders and oranges scattered over the stone road. 

Emily pushed herself up, “what the fuck?”

“Bitch must have cut the brakes.” He looked at the motorcycle, “and the gas tank. Real fucking nice. Some angel…” 

Emily hissed in pain. “I think I sprained my wrist.”

“We have to catch up to them, can you manage?” Christian helped her up. 

“Yeah,” she nodded, cradling her injured wrist, “get us new wheels.” 

Miranda spun out on the front yard of the farmhouse before coming to a complete stop and cutting the engine. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”

Miranda ran into the house and whistled for Priestly who ran down the stairs obediently, “go stay with Andrea,” she said and he complied. 

Francesca hurried in from the kitchen, “Miranda, is everything alright?”

Miranda shook her head, “no. He caught up with us and we have to make a quick getaway. Can we take the motorcycle to the train station? We’ll leave it there and I’m sorry, but your helmet got left behind at the beach.”

“Of course,” Francesca kissed her cheek. “Be safe.”

“Thanks.” Miranda rushed back out to the scooter and climbed back on. Priestly was wedged snugly, but mostly comfortably between them as she made haste to the train station.


	25. Chapter 25

Emily and Christian trudged down the road. The inhabitants of downtown all seemed to be without transportation which left them to travel on foot. 

“Where to now?” Christian asked finally with minor annoyance.

Emily sighed, “I don’t know yet, let me think.” There was a pause, “let’s just get to the train station and see where the trains that left today were headed.” 

After a few minutes Christian laughed. “Can you believe that Miranda cut the brakes? I can’t picture it, can you? Miranda Priestly even knowing where to find the brake cable on a motorbike.”

“She’s full of surprises. It’s never boring working for her.” 

“How’s your wrist, can I do something for it?” Christian looked at Emily’s hand pressed against her stomach. 

“I’m fine.” Emily insisted. “It’s not broken.” 

“Alright,” Andy said, as they walked through the station at Lübben, Germany. “Pronounce it one more time.”

“ _Ler_ -ben.” Miranda said again, “there’s an umlaut over the u which makes it have an _er_ sound and if you say _Looben_ one more time I’m going to kill myself.”

Andy laughed, “give me a break.” 

“After 4 months of torture about Aloysius, you have it coming.” Miranda smirked. “German cuisine awaits us. We’re going to have dinner and then take the train to Berlin. I have an old friend there and I hope he’ll put us up.” 

“A Miranda friend?”

“A Carlotta friend.” 

“Still alive?”

“I wasn’t Carlotta that long ago.” Miranda rolled her eyes, “I estimate that he’d be 80 but I haven’t heard of his death.”

They got to the storefront of a restaurant and Miranda’s eyes sped over the menu, then ushered Andy inside. The tables were long and people were scattered among the tables. Miranda lead the way to a table occupied by six other people. “Bitte, ist hier noch frei?”

“Ja, bitte.” The man nodded to the seat. 

“How many languages do you speak, Miranda?” Andy took a glass of water a waiter set down for her. 

“Twelve. But three of them are dead so I don’t really count them.” She looked up at Andy’s expression of awe. “Andrea, I’m 140 years old, I never forget anything I see or hear and I like academia and languages. Don’t act so surprised.”

“Tell me more about Carlotta’s friend.” 

“He was a young lieutenant in WWII, he’s English and he’s been stationed in West Berlin since the 70s.” 

“You were close?”

“Are you asking if we slept together?”

Andy nodded. “Yes, but I was trying to ask it with a lot more tact than that.” 

“I don’t see how it matters, actually.” Miranda said, looking over a menu.

“I don’t have the right to ask you about your past sexual history? I think that matters considering that we’re currently in a sexual relationship.” 

“That was literally a lifetime ago and I really don’t find it to be relevant.” Miranda looked over at Andy.

“Why is it such a big deal for you to just tell me?”

“Because of the reason _why_ you want to know.”

“You presume to know my reasons?” Andy smirked.

Miranda’s cell phone vibrated and Miranda pulled it out of her pocket and opened the picture message. An A+ spelling test for Cassidy. Tears sprung to Miranda’s eyes and as she wiped at them she asked, “can we please table this discussion for now?”

“I can’t believe that we stole a _mule_.” Emily deadpanned with an eyeroll. 

Christian sighed. “Would it make you happy if I gave it back after I got a motorized vehicle?”

“A little.” Emily admitted. 

“Then I will.” 

“Really? That’s awfully virtuous of you.” Emily was surprised.

“I think you have a very skewed view on this whole light versus dark issue. It isn’t so much an indesputable fact of nature that God is right and Lucifer is wrong. It’s so much more complex than that. It’s like political rivals. There are pros and cons to both sides.” 

“What’s the pro of Satan?”

“Well, for one, Lucifer was punished because he dared to asked _why_.”

“He led an army against God.” 

“The Americans led an army against the British.” Christian pointed out, “and the only reason why they aren’t villified is because they won.”

“Yeah, and we’re still kind of miffed about that, actually.” Emily smirked. 

Christian smiled affectionately, “all I’m saying is that there’s a lot more to the issue than people ever really consider.” 

“Hey, what about that house?” Emily pointed to the farmhouse on the horizon. 

“You think Miranda would have stayed on a farm? Really?” Christian sighed, “I don’t even know why you’re so convinced that they were staying in the area.”

“The dog, Christian!” Emily snapped, “that dog is a huge asset to them and Miranda wouldn’t abandon it. If it wasn’t with them there are two conclusions I draw: they are staying locally and that they felt very secure in their hiding spot – meaning that it was somewhere Miranda didn’t think we’d look. And a farmhouse? Definitely not someplace I would look for Miranda.”

“You’re saying that you want to look in the farmhouse because you wouldn’t look there for Miranda?”

“Exactly.” She nodded. “If we want to know where she’s going we need to know where she’s been. She probably left some things behind, they had to leave in a hurry.”

“Okay, so I’ve been thinking.” Andy said as they settled onto the train, “I don’t care who you’ve slept with and it was a moment of jealousy, I suppose.”

“Thank you.” Miranda said curtly.

“Are you mad at me?” Andy bit her lip.

Miranda shook her head but said nothing. Priestly jumped into Miranda’s lap and curled up against her. Andy sighed. Miranda looked up at her. “Don’t do that. Don’t take everything I do so personally.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Andy furrowed her brow.

“It means that I’m upset because I can’t be with my daughters, which doesn’t mean I’m mad at you. I believe that I’m allowed to feel emotions that aren’t connected to you, am I not?” 

Andy wrapped her arms around Miranda and set her chin on her shoulder. “Of course you are, I’m sorry, tell me more about the twins.”

“At the start of this whole thing I talked to my mother, she’s an angel, she came down and told me that you are my charge and I asked about my girls. I didn’t think I could become pregnant because I’m a mixed breed. I hoped beyond hope that they were like me, that they were immortal too. She shot those hopes to Hell. She told me they’re human, they have none of my DNA, they’re _mortal_. I had to give up every ounce of my false hope. Now I can’t stop thinking about them running into some thug in a dark alley or if someone shows up to their school with a gun…” 

Andy gave Miranda a squeeze, “every mother goes through that, Miranda. It’s not easy for anyone. It’s the world we live in.”

Miranda closed her eyes, “no matter what horrible scenario I come up with it doesn’t matter because I will have to deal with their deaths. I will have to watch my children die. No mother wants to outlive her children. I can’t imagine a worse hell.” 

“What if you had to spend eternity with Jacqueline Follet?” Andy whispered playfully.

Miranda rewarded her with a small laugh, “alright, it’s the second worse hell I can imagine.”

Andy kissed Miranda’s temple. 

“There’s so little time.” Miranda whispered, serious again, “in the grand scheme of things there’s so little time…”


	26. Chapter 26

Miranda walked up the front steps of the townhouse in Berlin, she'd seen a picture but she'd never seen the house itself. It seemed to loom over her and for a moment she hesitated. Was it a good idea to revisit an old friend? 

She wanted to see a familiar face, she waned to feel grounded again, but as she thought about knocking on the door she felt butterflies in her stomach. 

Andy watched her carefully as Miranda considered her options, Priestly keeping a watchful eye over the two women. 

Miranda reached out and knocked on the heavy wooden door. Her heart pounded in her chest, what if he didn't remember Carlotta? What if he had died? What if-

The door opened and a woman in a maid's uniform stood face to face with Miranda. She looked her over with suspicious scrutiny. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm here to see Patrick James." Miranda said curtly and importantly.

"Col. James isn't accepting visitors." The maid went to close the door and Miranda reached out and stopped her.

"Carlotta Marie du Ciel." 

There was a stirring in the house and the elderly figure of her young lover came into view. "Carlotta?" He spat, "what do you know about Carlotta?"

"She's my grandmother." 

He looked sad, "what do you want from me?" 

"We need a place to stay and we were hoping you could put us up." Miranda explained, using her carefully honed _human_ persuasion skills. She didn’t want to use tricks on an old friend. “Please.”

“I asked your grandmother to marry me. She said she’d think about it and she never came back, she fled to the states.” 

“Maybe… _grandma_ was afraid of what it would mean to be an officer’s wife.” Miranda bit her lip.

“Bullshit, she wanted to go to America, I couldn’t give her that.” Patrick sighed, “was she happy?”

Miranda nodded, “for the most part.” 

“I would have taken no for an answer, she didn’t have to run… I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be unloading this on you. I guess I’ve waited 40 years to get that off my chest. I guess I’m not as over it as I thought I was. But I’m not going to take it out on her granddaughter, please come inside.” 

“Thank you, sir.” Miranda said as she followed him in.

“None of that, you’re Carlotta’s blood, you and your friend can call me Patrick and I should call you?” He turned back to them, realizing he hadn’t gotten either of their names. 

“I’m Miranda and this is Andrea and our dog’s name is Petey.” Miranda said, Andy looked at her with confusion but Miranda did not want to put Miranda and Priestly into the same sentence lest it spark some distant memory. 

“Frau Larson, please make up the guest room for the young ladies.” The woman looked like she wanted to object but bit her tongue and disappeared up the stairs. “There’s only one guest room.”

“That’s fine.” 

“Miranda,” he paused and took in a deep breath, “I scarcely want to ask… your grandmother, is she still alive?”

“Sadly, no.” Miranda shook her head.

“I see.” He sighed and rubbed his eyes. “Would you join me in a drink? Carlotta always liked scotch. Have you girls eaten?” 

“We ate in Lüben.” Andy said, demonstrating her ability to pronounce in correctly. 

“I would love a scotch, Patrick.” 

“I’m very tired actually, would it be really rude of me to go upstairs?” 

“Please, by all means,” he nodded towards the stairs, “I will see you in the morning for breakfast and if Frau Larson gives you a hard time just ignore her, she’s a little grumpy.”

“Thank you,” Andy laughed a little, putting a hand on her stomach as she ascended the stairs. 

Patrick poured two scotches and motioned for Miranda to sit with him. He swirled the scotch in his glass and took a sip. “You look just like her, younger, of course.” 

Miranda looked down into her scotch and felt the guilt welling up inside of her. “She loved you. She loved you very much.” 

He smiled sadly. “Such is life. It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. Or so I’m told.” 

“Maybe it was a bad idea for me to come here, Patrick.” Miranda said, looking up at him. 

“Oh nonsense, it’s nice to meet you. I don’t think I could have died happily without ever knowing what became of Carlotta. And to hear that she had children who had children, well, that’s a very nice thing to hear. It’s nice to know that she was happy.” He paused for a moment, “if I may, who was your grandfather, could it have been me?” 

Miranda smiled a little, “you very well could be.”

“Is that why you came here tonight?” 

“Partially.” Miranda lied, “my young companion and I are sort of on the run from someone who wishes us harm and I thought we’d be safer at a private residence than at a hotel or something.”

In the middle of Italy Emily started walking towards a large, ornate church. Christian stopped and said, “uh, I think I’ll wait out here. It’s kind of against my religion to go into a church, you understand.”

Emily raised her eyebrows at him with a smirk, “yeah, I get it. I won’t be long.” 

The church was lit mostly by candles and by the sunlight that streamed in through the elaborate stained glass windows. The ceiling was vaulted and the pews were a dark brown, making everything look even darker. At the end of the aisle was a priest lighting a candle. 

She dipped her fingers in the holy water and crossed herself before walking up to him and cleared her throat. He turned and smiled sincerely, “my child, how can I help you?”

“I was hoping that I could take confession.” Emily wrung her hands. 

“Of course, my child, how long has it been since your last confession?”

Emily wrung her hands and guiltily admitted, “three years.”

“I see.” He nodded, “what is it you wish to confess, my child?”

“Is it possible to both be in love and be repulsed by someone? Is it wrong to love someone whose motives you know not to be benevolent?” 

“The heart is a fickle mistress, I’m afraid. Perhaps this man has been sent to you to test your faith. Perhaps by confessing this love you already know it to be impure.”

Emily bit her lip and nodded, “perhaps.” 

“Let us each light a candle and ask for guidance.” The priest handed Emily the long match and watched as she lit a candle. 

“Miranda!” Andy sat bolt upright in bed with a gasp, startling Miranda out of her sleep.

“What? What?” Her heart pounded as her eyes adjusted the dark, casting Andy in a nervous red-orange glow. 

“I just felt the baby kick!” Andy beamed.

Miranda closed her eyes and put her hand over her heart with a sigh, “I think I just had a heart attack, thank you for that.”

“Feel!” She took Miranda’s hand and put it over her stomach, “isn’t that miraculous?”

Miranda smiled and nodded, “it is. It’s a little miracle.” She scooted down the bed and laid her head on Andy’s stomach gently. “Hello in there,” she whispered. 

Andy laid back down, smiling with contentment as Miranda stroked her stomach gently.

Settling into Patrick’s house had been a very easy transition for Miranda. She hadn’t lived with him as Carlotta but she felt wholly at ease in his company. Andy was a different story. How much of her annoyance could be attributed to hormones, she didn’t know, but she was feeling left out. 

Patrick wanted to spend time with Miranda, Miranda wanted to spend time with Patrick and Andy wanted to go to sleep early and take it easy. Miranda thought it seemed ideal. 

“Come with us to the pub.” Miranda insisted one Thursday evening. 

Andy shook her head, “watching other people get drunk is no fun at all.”

“I don’t get drunk.” Miranda protested.

“Not falling down drunk or anything, but you get drunk.” Andy crossed her arms over her chest. 

“Come on, it’s trivia night, it’ll be fun. You like trivia.”

“Trivia night wasn’t fun two weeks ago and it won’t be fun tonight. I don’t want to go.” Andy shook her head definitively. “Just go without me.”

“Fine.” Miranda scowled.

“Are you ladies ready to hit the town?” Patrick smiled as he came down the stairs. He took note of their expressions and decided not to say anything else.

“You two go ahead.” Andy said, pushing herself awkwardly out of her chair and brushing past Miranda to go upstairs. 

“Hormones.” Miranda whispered once she heard the door slam behind Andy. 

The pub was well lit and abuzz with trivia players. A table full of older men in the back cheered and motioned to Patrick as he walked in. “Hey look what the cat dragged in!” He greeted them each with an enthusiastic handshake. “When did you get back to town?”

“Just yesterday,” one of the men smiled and caught sight of Miranda. “You dog, who’s this then?”

“This is my granddaughter.” Patrick put his hands on Miranda’s shoulders and beamed proudly. “This is Miranda.”

“You don’t say!” His friends smiled. 

“It’s nice to meet you,” Miranda said, a little uncomfortable with all the attention being pointed at her. 

“Miranda, these heathens are Hannes, Ed and Matt.” Patrick introduced his friends. “Boys, with Miranda on our trivia team we can’t lose.”

“Sprechen Sie Deutsch?” Hannes asked her.

“Na klar,” Miranda grinned.

“Patrick, I think I’m in love.” Hannes laughed, “are you spoken for?”

“She’s got a gent back home named Andy.” Patrick nudged her playfully. He had known from the beginning that Carlotta was bisexual and she had had no qualms with telling him about her and Andy. 

“And this Andy chap doesn’t care that you’re out cavorting in a pub?” 

“The day someone tells me I can’t go out and do my thing is the day I become single.” Miranda was starting to get caught up in the rowdiness of the pub and the company.

The three men laughed and made agreeing remarks. Ed called to the bartender to get Miranda a beer. Miranda didn’t normally care for beer but she felt that in Germany one needed to have _bratwurst und bier_ to really experience Berlin. 

Andy ventured back down into the living room to pick a book. Frau Larson was passing through and stopped. “Herr James and Miranda leave you behind again?”

Andy shrugged, “I told them to go without me.” She sighed. 

Frau Larson dug into her apron pocket and pulled out a deck of cards, “fancy a game of cards?” 

Andy smiled, “yeah, I’m up for that.” 

Frau Larson put on a pot of tea and poured each of them a cup before they set up camp at the kitchen table to play cards. 

“Of course I don’t begrudge their friendship, you know.” Andy said as they played, “it’s just that I wish they wanted to do things that I could participate in. They want to go out and drink? Fine, but do they have to do it every night?” 

“I reserve judgement, but I can say that Herr James hasn’t been so happy or full of life for as long as I’ve known him.”

“I’ve never seen Miranda party this hard.” Andy admitted, “she’s usually very reserved… I guess maybe I don’t know her as well as I thought I did. And it’s really not like I dislike it, it’s just… well, she knows I can’t drink.”

Frau Larson nodded, “I think you should try talking to her. If she loves you like she says she does she’ll understand. She probably doesn’t realize that it upsets you.”

Andy nodded and smiled a little, “yeah, Miranda isn’t really renowned for her ability to empathize with others.”

Later that night, the door to their bedroom opened. Andy was already asleep, wrapped up in the comforter. Miranda slid under the covers with her and nuzzled her neck. Andy stirred, Miranda spoke, “I missed you tonight.” She whispered.

Andy sighed a little. 

“I’m sorry I haven’t been doing a whole lot with you lately.” Miranda nuzzled her ear, “I want to rectify that.” 

Andy turned over and looked into Miranda’s eyes. “Do you still have feelings for him?”

“Oh Andrea.” Miranda rolled her eyes, “the man thinks I’m his granddaughter.”

“Yeah, but you know that you’re his ex-lover.” Andy bit her lip, “Miranda, do you still have feelings for him?”

“No, not sexual ones like you’re trying to imply.” Miranda propped her head up on her elbow. “Guilt, perhaps. I left him broken… I know that he asked me to marry him but I had no idea I meant that much to him. He’s having fun with me and it makes me feel better that I’m making him happy.”

“Isn’t your angel heart capable of infinite love or some crap like that?”

“Oh come on,” Miranda rolled her eyes. “I don’t fall in love with everyone. When I do fall in love I fall hard and _infinitely. But_ I didn’t love Patrick, he was a dear friend and I was very upset by a break up and I fell back on him. I left him for a lot of reasons: I was done being Carlotta, I wanted to become Miranda, I didn’t love him and I wanted to go to America.” 

“Miranda…”

“Let me finish. As Miranda I have fallen into a pattern of picking people that I don’t like so that I didn’t have to lose people that I love. And _yooou_ have forced me to break that habit. So perhaps you could give me the benefit of the doubt, because I _am_ capable of infinite love and I happen to love _you. Infinitely_.”

Andy smiled a little and looked down. 

Miranda cupped her cheek and pulled her attention back, “and because I love you so infinitely and now, instead of feeling guilty about leaving Patrick, I feel guilty about having left you on your own so much. So, from now on, you’re not going to be able to get rid of me. You’re going to be so sick of me.” 

“I’m already sick of you,” Andy whispered against Miranda’s lips playfully. “But I love being sick of you. I love being stranded in Europe with you.” 

Miranda brushed her lips against Andy’s. “I can’t think of anyone I’d rather be stuck with.” 

Andy grinned against Miranda’s lips, “you know what we haven’t done in a while?”

“Um…” Miranda paused coyly, “hopped over buildings?”

“Ha ha.” Andy sucked Miranda’s lower lip into her mouth and Miranda moaned.


	27. Chapter 27

As Andy’s stomach swelled larger with baby Miranda’s nerves began to get the better of her. At two months she was cool as a cucumber, at four months she was a bit jittery but at six months, going on seven, she was about to pull her hair out. Andy found it amusing, her reactions were what she imagined an expectant father’s to be and it comforted her. She knew she wasn’t alone, she knew that Miranda was as invested in it as she was. 

Every morning Andy woke up to a glass of orange juice, a folic acid supplement pill and a breakfast full of iron and protein. It was obsessive and sweet and she toook it with a grain of salt. 

Every Wednesday Patrick, Miranda and Andy went to the Farmer’s market and perused the fresh foods selection and see what other things were being sold about town. Miranda had even begun to amass a small collection of designer items. Every Thursday Patrick and Miranda went to trivia night and Andy and Frau Larson played cards. 

It had all become very domestic. Andy appreciated the stability even if Miranda was about to go out of her mind. 

One night while they were sleeping Miranda’s cell phone started to ring. Miranda jolted awake, startled by the ringing, the twins only ever texted. She grabbed it off the nightstand and flipped it open, “girls?”

“Hi mama,” the girls said brightly. 

“What’s wrong, babies?” Miranda was trying to keep her cool, Andy knew this to be a practice in futility. 

“We had a nightmare.”

“What? Just now? It’s morning isn’t it?” Miranda furrowed her brow.

“Yeah, well, you know, we didn’t want to wake you last night so we waited until morning.” Caroline explained logically.

Miranda started to laugh and laid back down against the bed, “oh my babies, if you had called me when you had the dream it wouldn’t have been in the middle of the night, it would have been late afternoon. There’s a seven hour time difference.”

There was a pause on their end before they simultaneously said, “sorry.”

“No, no, sweeties. I would never begrudge waking up for you. Hold on a moment.” She leaned over and kissed Andy’s temple and whispered to her, “I’m going to take this in the bathroom, go back to sleep.”

Andy nodded, having fully intended to sleep through the conversation anyway. 

Miranda slipped out of the bedroom and into the bathroom across the hallway, shutting the door behind her. “I’m sorry you’re having nightmares, darlings.”

“Mom, I think you misheard. We didn’t each have separate nightmares, we had the same nightmare.” Cassidy said.

“Yeah, but from two different perspectives.” Caroline interjected.

“Like, the first part of the dream was in Cannes and I saw you and Andy eating ice cream and then you saw Emily.”

“And I saw Emily and Christian.”

“By the way, mom, jumping over buildings is wicked badass.” Cassidy grinned. 

“And then the second part of the dream was on a beach and I saw Emily and Christian searching the rocks for you.”

“While you cut the brake cable and led them on a high speed chase through a village.” 

“Then the last part of the dream was in Prague and-”

“Prague? Wait,” Miranda rubbed her eyes, “you’re sure it was Prague?” 

“Yeah, def.” Cassidy nodded, “I saw some words on a sign and it was definitely in Czech, I looked it up this morning.”

“And when I googled Prague I saw that palace and that was totally what I saw in the dream.”

“Okay, so you saw 7 months ago, 3 months ago and…? Alright, what happened in Prague?” 

“Well, Prague’s a little hazy.” Caroline admitted. “You all split up and we got really jumbled up images of all four of you.”

“And there was a really big chunk that we couldn’t see you.” 

“Right, but we did see you talking to Emily and she gives you something.” 

“Yeah, you met in a church and she hands you a box and then she goes to Andy.”

Miranda’s heart clenched, “what did she do to Andrea?”

“I don’t know, but she had gone into labor. Then we saw Christian after that and he was kind of stalking around a building and then you reappeared and that was it.” 

“Can you go invisible or something, mom? Why did you disappear?” Cassidy was clearly worried.

“I cannot go invisible, no. I don’t know why you lost me. What’s in the box?” Miranda chewed her fingernail nervously.

“No clue.” Caroline sighed, “but it’s kind of a small box, it’s not too big and it’s brown.” 

“So, I have to get Andrea to Prague and meet Emily in a church…” Miranda furrowed her brow, “this doesn’t make much sense.” 

“We have faith in you, mom.” 

“I miss you two so much. Andrea and I are going to come home very soon and we’re all going to be a very strange, loving little family.”

“Maybe we’ll dream about that tonight.” 

“I hope you do, babies.” Miranda smiled. 

After her phonecall with the twins Miranda didn’t feel like going back to sleep. She pulled on her Armani sweater and hit the streets. The night air was cool and soothing. If nothing else, she felt sure that Andy was completely safe until they were in Prague.

Her heels clacked against the stone as she rounded the corner and headed towards the Tiergarten. Once she reached her destination she laid down in the grass and looked up at the stars. 

Emily laid back on the bed and sighed, rubbing her eyes. “We’re just chasing our tails at this point.” 

Christian laid down next to her. “Obviously, I want to catch them, but I also… well, I’m enjoying spending time with you.”

She turned to face him and sighed. 

He ran his fingers through her hair. “I assume that when this is all over I’ll go back to my life and you’ll go back to yours but I’m glad that right here, right now, we’re together. When you first offered your services I was much less than thrilled because I thought you were just a stupid fashion groupie who only cared about her weight. Well, you are a fashion groupie and you do care about your weight but you’re so much more than that. You’re smart and witty and funny and your biting insults are just killer.” He grinned, “you give as good as you get, Charlton. I can’t think of anyone I’d rather chase my tail with.” 

Emily closed her eyes and laid her head against his chest. “Neither can I.” 

Miranda smiled at the monitor as the gynocologist ran the wand over Andy’s stomach. Miranda watched the little body move inside Andy’s womb. 

“Your baby looks healthy, nice and big, and your bloodwork looks great. You’ve really been taking care of yourself.” 

Miranda grinned proudly and turned to look at Andy. She had tears in her eyes. “Andrea,”

“I just,” Andy laughed a little and wiped at her eyes, “you know, I just can’t believe that that’s inside me.”

“Do you want to know the sex?” The doctor smiled. 

“Please.” Miranda nodded, giving Andy’s hand a squeeze. “And could we get a print out of the ultrasound?”

“Absolutely.” When the picture finished printing she handed it to Andy who held it delicately. “That’s you’re baby girl.”

“A girl?” Andy grinned and looked over at Miranda with a silly grin. "It's a girl?"

Miranda nodded, "yes, it would seem so." Miranda could help but laugh at Andy's disbelieving grin.

Miranda let them into the townhouse, “Patrick? Want to see Andrea’s ultrasound?” She poked her head into the sitting room and was surprised not to find him. “Patrick?” 

“Miranda,” Andy called from the foyer, “he’s here.”

She went back in just in time to see him coming down the stairs. He was dressed head to toe in his Colonel uniform. “What’s going on?” Miranda furrowed her brow.

“The base called me, they want me to report there immediately.” 

“Oh.” Miranda nodded a little, “the base in Berlin?”

“No, the base in Britain, I don’t know how long I’ll be there, but I want to make sure that the two of you are being kept safe. I have a friend in Prague and I told her to expect you.”

“…Prague?” 

“Is that a problem?” Patrick looked concerned, “I could call her and-”

Miranda shook her head, “no, Prague is… great. Prague is perfect.”


	28. Chapter 28

Christian slung Emily’s bag over his shoulder as they walked through the airport in Barcelona. Emily had chosen Spain because she didn’t think she’d find her there. Unfortunately her attempts at reverse psychology hadn’t yielded the results she’d been hoping for. 

Christian stopped and looked at the board. “Well, Charlton, where to now?”

“Um…” she looked over the board and sighed heavily. “I don’t know. I don’t knooow.”

“What’s that noise? Is that your cell phone?”

Emily furrowed her brow and dug it out of her pocket. She flipped it open, “hello?”

“Emily.” Miranda’s voice snapped on the other end, making Emily immediately stand at attention. “Meet me in Prague in St. Jilji Church at 5 on Saturday.” 

“Yes, Miranda.” Emily nodded quickly.

“That’s all.” 

Emily closed her phone and turned to Christian. “Prague. Get us two tickets to Prague.”

“I’ll get you two set up in here,” Lindy Porter smiled at them as she showed them the guest room. “I’ll get you a few extra blankets, tonight’s supposed to get cold.” 

“Thank you, Lindy.” Andy smiled cordially. Andy’s foot caught on the rug and Miranda deftly reached out and righted her. Andy blushed and moved further into the room.

Lindy bit her lip on a smile, “you look about ready to pop, how far along are you?”

Andy sat down on the bed and smiled, “eight months.”

Lindy smiled, “well, I made sure that the kitchen is stocked with all the goodies that expectant mothers should eat.”

“Thank you, Lindy, this is all very much appreciated.”

Lindy smiled and looked around, “alright ladies, I think that’s all you’ll need tonight.”

Miranda had given Christian and Emily 3 days for travel. Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning had been nerve wracking for Miranda and Andy alike. Miranda was out of her mind with worry and Andy was on edge because Miranda was. 

Lindy was very accommodating and she even got Miranda to wind down on Friday night. Lindy made her pot of tea and drew her a bath, then played cards with Andy. 

Miranda pulled on a black cashmere Marc Jacobs sweater and a pair of no name jeans. She put on a brave face about it but Andy knew that it killed her inside to wear the off the rack clothes that she’d been forced to wear during their excursion. 

Miranda fidgeted with her hair as she checked it in the mirror for the umpteenth time. Priestly sat on the floor by Andy’s feet as they watched her pace. 

Miranda sighed and looked at the time. “Alright. You two stay here, I don’t intend to be gone long.” 

“I’ll be fine, Miranda, Lindy has had military training and I have Priestly.” Andy scratched his ears for emphasis.

“Alright.” Miranda sighed again. She nodded, “alright, yes.” She stepped forward, cupped Andy’s cheek and kissed her.

Andy sucked in a breath with a gasp and exclaimed, “oh God!”

“What?” Miranda’s eyes widened.

“Oh my God!” Andy stood from the chair and stared dumbstruck at Miranda, “I think my water just broke! I think I just went into labor!”

“Oh my God!” Miranda reiterated. Miranda started running around the room looking for something, “I can’t go now, I have to be with you.”

“Miranda, you have to go.” Andy said firmly, “the twins’ prophecy, you meet Emily in the church and she gives you something, you have to go.”

“I can’t just leave you.” Miranda insisted.

Andy shook her head stubbornly. “No. You have to go!”

Lindy appeared in the doorway, “is everything okay? I thought I heard you yell.”

“My water just broke.” Andy cupped her pregnant stomach. 

“I’ll call the ambulance.”

Miranda shook her head, “no.” She put her hand on Lindy’s arm, “you had some medical training, didn’t you?”

“Yes.” Lindy nodded.

Miranda gave Andy her cell phone. “I’ll call you when I think it’s safe and then you can call the ambulance.” Miranda kissed Andy’s forehead.

“I love you.” Andy whispered as Miranda whispered it back and rushed out of the room.

The church was dimly lit and there were only a few scattered people praying in the pews. Emily walked down the aisle, casting her eyes to both sides, looking for Miranda. She didn’t see her and she sat down in the front.

Just when Emily was beginning to think that she’d been sent on a wild goose chase Miranda stepped in front of her.

“What are you doing here?” Miranda demanded in a harsh whisper, “what do you have to do with all of this? 

Emily stood up so that they were face to face and she said, “I’m part of a group that operates out of Oxford, we are in possession of the Crux of Laodices. The entire mission of our group is to make sure that you get the Crux.”

“What? I’ve never heard of this group and I’ve certainly never heard of the Crux of Laodices.” Miranda shook her head, “pray, tell me what reason I have to trust you.”

“Well, I’m telling you the truth. I can’t really prove anything to you. I can just ask you, in your heart of hearts do you mistrust me?” 

“I’m not taking any chances.” Miranda pursed her lips. 

“Evil people can’t set foot in churches, I know that’s why you asked me to meet you in one. That’s why Christian didn’t come in. I’ve been travelling with him because I needed to find you before Andy gave birth and I wanted to be able to keep an eye on Christian.”

“How do I know that this isn’t a trick?”

“Miranda,” Emily started as she dug out the little white box that contained the Crux. She put the box in Miranda’s hand, “I’m in love with him and you need to kill him. This Crux is the only thing that can kill an immortal being. To save humanity you need to kill him.” 

Miranda opened her mouth to speak but Emily cut her off.

“And you have to trust me. Three years of working for you, don’t you think I’d need the patience of a saint? You know me Miranda. This is right.”

Miranda furrowed her brow. In her heart of hearts she did trust Emily, but her reason and logic center was still trying to make it make more sense. 

“I’ve never heard of this Crux.” Miranda said stubbornly.

“We don’t advertise it. It’s not supposed to exist. There’s supposed to be nothing that can kill an immortal but this Crux does. The angel Laodices made it to battle darkness and a demon used it against an angel and it was lost for several centuries until an archaeologist unearthed it. It has been in our possession ever since. Our job has been to find the angel who will protect the Madonna and to bestow the Crux. I implore you to hurry up and decide if you trust me or not because Christian is looking for Andy as we speak.”

Miranda opened the box and looked down at the intricately designed Crux that culminated in a sharp blade. Miranda took in a deep breath. “I don’t know…”

“The dog didn’t attack me, did it?” 

Miranda chewed the inside of her lip. It was a very good point. Priestly wasn’t worried about Emily at all. She rubbed her eyes. “Alright.” She nodded once, “I believe you.” 

“Tell me where Andy is?” 

Andy was propped up on a plethora of pillows with Lindy by her side, holding her hand and wetting her brow. They still had a little time between contractions. “You’re doing great, Andy.” Lindy smiled, “your baby girl is going to be beautiful.”

Emily appeared in the doorway, out of breath.

Lindy jumped to her feet, “how did you get in here?”

Andy stared in shock and fear. Emily waved her hands, “peace, I come in peace. Andy, can I do anything for you?”

“Where’s Miranda?” Andy demanded. 

“She’s looking for Christian, this will all be over soon.” 

“How did you get in here?” Lindy narrowed her eyes.

“I was in foster care,” Emily scoffed and rolled her eyes, “I know how to pick a lock.”

“I know her, Lindy, I work with her.” Andy waited until Lindy sat back down in the chair, her eyes still fixed on Emily with suspicion. Andy turned her attention back to Emily, “and Miranda just told you where I was?”

“Look, I get it, you don’t trust me, but may I just point out,” she motioned the dog who looked up at her and then back to Andy, “that the dog gets it?” 

“Fine, stay.” Andy groaned as she felt another contraction. 

Miranda trudged through the street, she had followed behind Emily to make absolutely sure that she was on the up and up. Christian was no where to be found, there was no barking and no sounds out of the ordinary coming from the house. 

If Christian wasn’t following Emily then where was he? Miranda couldn’t even fathom where to look. She clutched the Crux in the sleeve of her sweater. 

She stopped and suddenly realized that it was entirely possible that Christian anticipated her following Emily and had, in turn, followed her. She had probably just led him to Andy. Her heart began to race and she turned around and around, looking for him. 

She needed to see him, she needed to know where he was. All of a sudden she was struck by an idea. She ran across a crosswalk and threw open the front door of the tallest building on the block. She made haste up the stairs and when she got to the roof she stood there for a moment, the cool air whipping her hair around her face. She took a deep breath and started running for the edge.

Miranda leapt off the ledge and felt the cold air rushing past her and she squeezed her eyes shut as she felt her body slam into the cold, hard asphalt of the street below. Immediately she felt weightless, she felt her soul ascending to heaven, she felt peaceful and calm. 

Everything went dark as she floated through the ether and in a flash she could see everything on Earth. 

Christian was watching from a small park near the house. She’d led him to the block but he wasn’t able to determine which house was the right one and he decided to conceal himself behind a tree until he thought Miranda had let down her guard enough to go in and check on Andy. 

He wondered where Emily had gone off to. He decided that it wasn’t the most important thing to be worrying about at the moment.

He dug into his pocket and pulled out a pack of gum. He threw a piece into his mouth and cast his eyes around the neighborhood again, he’d lost sight of Miranda. 

He felt fingers grip his curly hair and yank it backwards and he felt the lick of a knife’s blade against his throat. He scoffed. 

“Looking for me?” Miranda whispered into his ear.

Christian laughed, “yeah, actually I am. What do you think you’re doing? You know I’m immortal.”

“It’s a good thing I have the Crux of Laodices, then, isn’t it?” She regripped it and kept it poised against his carotid. 

He sucked in a nervous breath. “You don’t! That was supposed to have been destroyed!” 

“Try me.” She snarled. 

“What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” He recited, fidgeting underneath her hold. 

“Mercy is not something I owe you. And as for God, I won’t ever be walking with him, humbly or otherwise.” She brushed the blade against his skin. “One of the perks of being immortal is that I won’t ever have to answer for my actions.”

“You can’t kill me.” He scoffed, “you’re an _angel_ , you’re a protector of goodness, you’re a messenger of God. You _can’t_ kill me.” 

“Half.”

“What?” Christian furrowed his brow.

“I’m only _half_ angel.” She growled as she slid the knife’s blade over his throat. The slit was shallow but enough to slice into the artery.

He coughed and choked as he sunk to the ground. He collapsed onto his back and stared up at Miranda. He sputtered and sprayed blood. His eyes were wide open, he knew that allowing them to close would spell the end. 

He coughed again and his attempts at speech came out garbled and wet, but he managed to say, “half an angel?” 

Miranda crouched down next to him and whispered, “God is in the details, Christian.” She put the Crux back into the box and kept it out of his reach. She wanted to actually watch him die to prove to herself that it wasn’t a hoax, he wasn’t going to die and then return to his body unmaimed moments later. 

On the other hand she didn’t really think standing over a dead body with a murder weapon was really a great idea. She dragged Christian’s body to the bushes and she thought of Emily. 

She felt a twang of guilt. She’d known she was capable of taking a life just as much as a human being was. Angels were protectors of goodness and possessors of infinite mercy and love, they were incapable of killing. Genies, on the other hand, were not only capable of killing, they often relished in it. As much as she’d always wanted to exemplify an angel, she knew that she’d always fallen short and watching the life drain out of a body was only further evidence. 

She was no angel. 

Then again, she wasn’t expected to be. Part of her mission was obviously to dispatch of the threat to Andy and humanity and when it had come down to it she was able to do so without hesitation. The only being capable of the mission as it was laid out was someone with the love and mercy of an angel, with the ruthless and calculating precision of a genie.

She had done it. She had completed her mission. All that remained was to check on Andy. She closed her eyes for a moment and said a soft hail Mary before crossing herself and standing up. 

One last glance at Christian’s lifeless form and a pat of her pocket to feel the Crux and she took off running for the house and for Andy. 

An ambulance was parked in the back when she got there and her heart wrenched with worry. As she approached Andy was being brought down on a stretcher, looking exhausted but ecstatic and she held a wriggling baby in her arms. Emily and Lindy followed down to the ambulance.

Andy smiled hugely when she saw Miranda, she held out a hand for her.

“Oh Andrea, your baby is beautiful,” Miranda kissed Andy’s forehead and brushed her fingertips over the baby’s soft hair. 

One of the paramedics interrupted, “only one person can ride with her.”

Miranda nodded, “I’ll go.” She climbed into the back of the ambulance after Andy’s stretcher was lifted inside. She settled down next to Andy, holding her hand tightly. “You did so well, Andrea.” 

“I couldn’t have done any of this without you,” Andy squeezed Miranda’s hand weakly. “This is all because of you.” 

Miranda leaned her forehead against Andy’s and breathed easily. She felt bathed in relief, she felt calm and peaceful. “We can all go back to New York now, we can be a family, you and me and the twins and…” Miranda looked down at the softly cooing baby, “what are you going to call her?” 

Andy looked up at her lover and smiled. “That’s a very good question.”


End file.
